DeltaDave,

First check the valve clearances. It there is little or no valve clearance, this could be the cause of your cold starting problem. Then adjust the valves, they probably should be adjusted anyway.

As far as the GP are concerned, remove one and connect it across the battery terminals and observe if the GP glows a bright orange. If it does, that GP is OK. Do other the GP the same way.

To connect the GP to the battery, hold the GP in a Vise Grip. Touch the end of the Vise Grip to one batteryterminal and use a screwdriver to connect the GP terminal to the other battery terminal. Be careful of handling the GP, if they are OK, they will get hot from the above test.

P E H