Hi. I have a '72 F250 Camper Special 360
It won't start. I recently had the Holley 2 barrel carb rebuilt. New distributor cap, new plugs, new fuel pump, new fuel line.
It's getting gas to the carb, it's getting a nice spark at the point.
I'm not sure what to do. It turns over and will sometimes fire but won't stay running. Any advice?

 

Because we learn not to assume anything we ask what sometimes seem like needless questions, but just trying to cover all the bases.
When the dist cap was replaced , did you move the plug wires one at a time to the exact same place on the repl cap or did you just switch them---period? It is important to know this.
Anytime someone rebuilds a carb, everything is suspect.
After it quits running what do you need to do to get it started again if it will start?
Don't know if it stops because it flooded or ran out of fuel due to a float problem.
When you "pump the accelerator pedal at the carb" , can you see fuel squirting into the bores of the carb? You check this of course with the engine off. Where are you checking for spark at the center tower of the cap or at one of the plugs?

 

The shop replaced the cap and plugs and rebuilt the card. The truck ran great for about a month.
I checked for a spark at the cap.
And I can see fuel spraying into the carb.

 

Now you need to confirm the spark is getting to the plugs, so you need to check for spark at any one of the plugs.

Also you are getting fuel into the carb, maybe too much, if that is the case try holding the accelerator pedal to the floor while cranking the engine . That , if adjusted properly, will allow more air in and clear a flooded engine and allow it to start.
Some things just have to be done in steps to isolate the problem.

 

It's getting spark.
It wants to start.
It will burp smoke out the top of the carb occasionally.
It just won't go.

 

The burp out the carb may be a clue that there is a spark or mechanical timing problem.
There could be several possible reasons for that to happen.
Some of them could be ,
Moisture under the dist cap, broken pin in the dist drive gear ,timing gear/chain problem.
A good move to consider at this time would be a cylinder compression test. The results would show if compression is low and valve timing is off. You could rent a compression tester from some auto supply stores and you need to start somewhere and confirm engine condition

 

I have run out of ideas. I feel like I have tried everything. I'm going to have the truck towed tomorrow.
About a month ago I had belts replaced, dist replaced, new plugs and wires, carb rebuilt, and then I adjusted the timing and had the truck running great.
Then I filled up at a gas station and let it run for a while to warm up. It's been cold here. The truck sputtered and died and wouldn't start. I pulled the air cleaner off and checked everything and it all looked fine. I tried again and the truck ran fine. Couple days later I got off the freeway and the truck sputtered out and died. Wouldn't start for a few mins then started up ran fine. Couple days later started truck up and it sputtered out again. It wasn't getting fuel. I replaced the fuel pump. It started and ran for a little. Next day it wouldn't run. It would turn over and try to fire but wouldn't run. I replaced the fuel line.
The truck is getteing fuel to the carb. It's getting a nice spark to the plugs. I adjusted the timing back and forth. I pulled the plugs out and turned it over. I checked compression. Replaced the plugs again. Still won't run. It turns over, tries to start, might burp out the carb occasionally, starter kicks out and it dies. I'm just not sure what else I can do.

 

This truck can be fixed, you just need to follow a definite path to determine what is going on.
This is what I would try,
When the engine quits, right then and there , check for spark and fuel.If it has that and air along with the correct timing it should start.
If any one of those are absent , it will not start. You need to have a test lite and a can of carb&choke cleaner with you when it quits. If you spray choke cleaner into the carb and it starts it is definitely a fuel problem.
If it still doesn't start ,I would confirm that it is getting juice to the coil (+) terminal and through the coil. I believe this thing has a point & condenser ign system, does it not?
If the coil is opening up when it gets hot, or any problem with the internal parts of the dist it will not provide a ground to the coil - (minus)terminal and the coil will not provide spark. Once you confirm both of those tests, fuel and spark it should start.
How did you check compression? I know you said it ran fine once started, but something is dropping out and it shuts down.
I have had few goodies where there was a piece of celophane in the fuel tank that was hard to see , but would clog the pick up tube and it starved for fuel whenever the piece got stuck there.. Also, a defective condenser in the dist caused a no start, An ign coil that opened up when warm and , no spark
If it was a timing problem , it could be difficult to start and not run fine as you stated it did.If there is an air leak in the suction side of the fuel iine it will pull in air and shut down. Don't give up with this thing . It is not that complicated !

Does the amount of fuel in the tank at the time it quits come into the pix?

 

I tested the compression with a compression gauge.
I tried to start while spraying starting fluid into the carb still wouldn't go.
I guess I can test the coil. I don't think it's anything to do with the fuel at this point.
I have two tanks and have tried running off of both. I don't think they could both be compromised.

 

We would like to think so, but at this point we don't know for sure!
OK you confirmed compression was good and tried adding fuel and nothing happened.
That leaves three things left spark, air and timing. You will need to check the coil not when it will run, but when it either won't start or it quits running. Does this truck still have a point/cond dist system? Can you run a wire from the battery positive post directly to the coil + terminal? That would eliminate everything before the coil. See if it starts then. If it does you will need to disconnect the wire to shut the engine off.The wire from the dist to the coil neg terminal should be checked also.