SOLVED!....sort of. Where's there's spark.. there's no fire!

If that center electrode is BLACK and shiny, yankem. All of them. They will spark in open air but short solid to ground when cylinder compression is high. Black means black not chocolate brown. Make sure (if rig has a carburetor) the choke is not jammed shut if the plugs turn out to be black.

A tossed timing chain cam gear makes the engine sound WEIRD when cranking. I have asked this question three times but I guess it got lost.