Yerf Dog spiderbox - Great spark wont start

[gofast2007]

So i have a few other buggies that i got running but this yerf i just picked up has me stumped. Its my first yerf . previous owner said it just need carb cleaned. lol. I picked it up for $400 got it home and bypassed the cut off switch and got spark. great spark actually. Sprayed some starting fluid in the intake and started it up and a huge HUGE Flame came out. Im talking huge flame. Ive used this method to start buggies before to see if they would start and NEVER had this happen. I then adjusted the valves. still wouldnt start. Previous owner said it had ran 4 months ago and had good compression. I dont have a compression tester but should i just get the top end rebuild kit and assume it doesnt have compression ?

[SYCARMS]

Get a compression gauge and test compression. You will use it more than once. Until you know the vital signs you will just be throwing money at it. Have you cleaned the carb?

[gofast2007]

I didnt even waste time to clean the carb. I figured once i have spark, a squirt of starter fluid will tell me if it starts or not. Once it didnt start and then flame came out, im almost certain that a clean carb wont get this started if shooting starter fluid right into the cylinder couldnt. Is that right?

[Big Rich]

Take the spark plug out and take it to Autozone / Advanced / wherever - they will loan you a compression tester with the correct adapter.

With a properly timed spark (hint: check your timing even though it shouldn't be off) and good compression, all that's left is the carb. I'm not a big fan of starting fluid..... that stuff is dangerous & pointless IMO.

[gofast2007]

Also, I noticed the Flywheel Timing Mark tdc is not tdc with the cam. If i get the cam at tdc using the 3 holes the mark on the flywheel is not where it should be according to the pics ive seen on internet. Should I straighten the timing out so that the cam and flywheel match exactly or just use the cams timing and ignore the flywheel?

[tkeagle]

Interesting that timing is off. Someone try a rebuild kit, and not set timing correctly?
If so, then might check the valves. Make sure they set correctly.