If the carb is new, read bone dry, it will take a little work to get fuel to the carb.
I have a 2 gal gas can sitting on the inner fender well by the DSII box and the radiator over flow / washer tank.
It takes some cranking to get fuel to the carb when dry.

With the air filter off to see if the carb has fuel open the choke, it is closed right? Look down inside and move the throttle you should see gas squirt if not you may not have fuel in the carb bowl yet.
The other thing I found with mine even trying to pull gas from the can the hose I was using was the wrong size. Think I was using 3/8" hose and it should be 5/16". It had to be sucking air and not gas because once I swapped hoses it started pulling fuel.

It also sound like you are not pouring enough fuel or spraying starting fluid in the carb as you say it tried to start.
Make sure the hose is in the fuel and is of the right size. Bump the timing to 10* BTDC. Check for fuel in the carb if squirting and pour / spray a good amount down carb and see what happens. You may need to pour / spray a few times to get fuel to the carb.
Dave ----

 

I keep seeing that you are constantly "resetting" the distributor. Are you moving it all over the place or does it end up in the same spot each time?

 

Dave, when I reset my timing to TDC it goes back to the same location each time. The reason I reset it is that I move the distributor housing a little each direction to see if it will start when I move it a little bit on each side of TDC. Hank

 

Dave, the little tank I use has a valve and a hose connection on the bottom of the tank. I do agree that I need to check the amount of gas going into the carb. I looked down the throat with the choke open. I also watched the throttle plate open. The amount of gas is dribbling in and not squirting. I did use carb cleaner to get rid of oil in the channels.
I worry too much about flooding the engine. I did check the plugs and they were dry.

In the morning I will add more gas while my wife assists in cranking the engine. It may even be possible that the "new" fuel pump is not putting out enough pressure. I will hope for the best. I need to push a little harder. Thank you, Hank

 

Hank, Set the base timing to 10 degrees. Keep up with pouring gas down carb throat. Also, grounds! grounds! grounds!. Clean existing and add new ground wires where permissible. Make sure all electrical connections are gudentite.

As Dave mentioned, a 3/8 fuel hose may suck more air than fuel, 5/16 is the correct size.

 

Jackietreehorn, this morning I had the chance to pour approximately 2 Oz of gas down the throat of the carb. Cranks, has spark but did not fire. I also sprayed 2 seconds of starter fluid and no start. This afternoon I will have the chance to set the timing at 10 degrees BTDC and try again with more fuel. After that test I will pull a plug and see if they have any fuel on them.

When I replaced the battery cables I cleaned the engine grounds very well. After I try the timing change this afternoon I will check for additional ground cables and clean them. I also removed a second filter I had on the small fuel tank to ensure better flow. The fuel line goes to the mechanical fuel pump and then through the original metal tube and new filter directly into the carb. Hank

 

That is how I have mine.
Other than using the wrong size hose to start with it works fine.

How much is 2 ounces? Thinking way less than a 2 finger shot glass. Add a shot glass full of fuel next time, I think you are not given it enough fuel.
Dave - - - -

 

OK so I came home and poured several ( at least 3 ) Oz of gas into the carb after setting the timing to 10* BTDC . No Start. I poured several more ( at least 3 Oz) in and tried again. No start. I tried starter fluid again using more this time. No start. Tried moving the distributor both directions, small amounts and larger amounts. No start.
I will check my ground again and add another ground, tomorrow. Since it cranks good the ground should not impact it??? Would a vacuum leak cause the no start when you have spark and a good amount of fuel it should at least try to start???
I did check the plugs again and now I have slightly wet plugs so I know I have sufficient fuel. My plug wiring is set up by the book???. Clockwise rotation 1-5, 3-6, 2-4. Hank-----I have to be missing something very basic

 

Go over how you are setting the distributor timing. How do you know you are at 10*BTDC? How do you know you are on the compression stroke of #1?

 

Hi, the way I get to TDC is as follows:
I marked the indicator located in back of the main pulley with chalk (it has a raised mark on the indicator ). I reviewed the location of the TDC / marking teeth showing the degree marks. I pulled the # one plug and inserted a straw. I observed the straw coming up out of the cylinder on my second complete turn of the main shaft, with a bar and socket from underneath the truck. I got up and checked the height of the straw and ensured that when the chalk mark was aligned with the proper marking degree that the straw was as high as it would go. I then checked and adjusted the distributor to align the rotor with the #1 spark plug wire on the cap.
Hope I have that right. Then again if I have it wrong I would have another place to go for a fix. Hank

 

Forgot to tell you how I figured the 10* mark. I turned the main shaft until the chalk mark aligned with the 10* mark on the indicator teeth. I then had to align the rotor and distributor housing at that point. I hope that's OK.

 

You figured out how to know when the #1 piston is at the top, but how do you know that is compression stroke when the spark plug fires? It could be the exhaust stroke. That would make the distributor 180 degrees out. Those marks on the damper go around twice for every cycle of the engine.

Two choices; Have someone bump the engine over while you hold your thumb over the sparkplug hole of #1. When it tries to blow your thumb off the hole stop, and then continue to turn the engine by hand the same direction till your marks come up. Then you know you are on the compression stroke.

The other choice, take the valve cover off, turn the engine by hand and watch the marks and the rocker arms for #1 cylinder. If the marks come around for TDC and the exhaust valve is opening, that is the wrong stroke, keep turning the engine around till the marks come up again and both valves should be shut. That is the one you want.

 

Dave, I will check that out today. I was under the impression that if you had a straw or screwdriver in the plug hole and they came up out of the plug hole that that would be the compression stroke? Would that be the same as placing a finger over the plug hole? Not being a smart guy just wondering if I misinterpreted something. If that is the case then I am happy to learn from my mistake.
I will definitely have my wife crank the engine while I check the compression on #1. Thanks, Hank

 

Hank, the piston comes up twice, once for compression and once more for exhaust. See gif attached.The finger method lets you know when it is compressing because it will blow your finger out. Hopefully we found the problem.

 

Suck, squeeze, bang, blow.