Please understand this is my first restore of a boat and i am a rookie! Found a 1968 40 hp evinrude short shaft model number 40852c. It was running and idling fine in a can. My buddy pushed down on a lever up at the top by the pull rope, and it seemed to back the fuel up and the fuel line cracked from the stress. After that it would not run as good anymore. Had a local work at home mechaniac come take a look and we also found gunk in the fuel line. He said i prob need a rebuilt carb. So he did, also compression is 120 on each cylinder, and spark is good. Since this guy rebuilt the carb and rebuilt the fuel pump it would even stay idling. Next he discovered the timing key was sheared off, replaced the key and fooled around with the points, it wont run. It seems to be dumping alot of oil in the garbage can we run it in and if you keep choking it seems to wanna run but it has a lean misfire or pop he calls it. He seems to now think the gasket blew on the lower end and it sucking in air. I know the lean has been played with alot. I dont know if i should give up or try a real mechanic? I dont know if timing is set right on, and also we didnt even have all the ignition cables hooked up to a key. Just touched the white to battery. So after he said he gave up i hooked it up to original ignition swith and it fired right up and ran for a min but i had to turn it off it was not in water!!! Help please, our boston whaler is now about ready, we need this motor!!!!!! My email is hectorcarreno@comcast.net. Sorry for long post but its been a month of hell with this motor.