How far off does your timing have to be to not run? I set the distrib to #1 at TDC. It will start for about 5 to 10sec then die. Vapor shoots out of the carb once in awhile. I'm going to get a timing light tonight but will it help me if I can't even get it running?

 

If the car won't run then the timing light is useless. Does the car start easily and then die? If it does then I suspect the problem is fuel related... low floats, bad pump, or something like that.

The gas vapor shooting out is normal when it stalls.

 

Yeah, it takes a few seconds of cranking then it start and runs for about 5 seconds then just dies like the fuel got cut off or something. While it is running it sounds great.