[Foxtrot]

I swear, the truck only breaks down when my husband is driving it and then it's up to me to fix it.

Headed to work a few days ago, he was stopped at a light on an off-ramp for about ten minutes. When it was finally his turn to go, he pressed on the accelerator and the truck sputtered out like it was out of gas. Based on what he described to me, it was obviously a fuel flow problem so I swapped out the fuel pump and filter.

Still, the truck won't start. To prime, I poured some gas in the carb and it fires up for maybe a few revs (like normal from what I can tell), then stops. If I turn the ignition without adding anymore fuel, it makes a pop with each revolution like one cylinder might be firing, but if I put my foot on the accelerator this popping will stop and it just sounds like a truck trying to start without any fuel. Add more fuel to the carb, pop-pop-pop like it's starting, then back to a single pop with each rev until I touch the accelerator, then nothing but an engine turning over with no sign of combustion.
This is not what was happening after it died at the on ramp. There was no pop with each revolution.

When I removed the old fuel filter, I tore it open and found some very fine metal flakes. Also, when I was removing the filter and that line, I twisted the line a bit on accident (for some really stupid reason I tried removing the fuel line without having a wrench on the fuel filter as well, when I turned the fuel line's nut, it turned the fuel filter nut as well causing the fuel line to twist), but I twisted it back and while it my cause some restriction, it doesn't appear that it could be cutting off fuel altogether. Regardless of whether it's the issue, I'll be replacing it (pressurized and fatigued metal fuel line right at the top of the engine by the carb... just a fireball waiting to happen... if I can get the darn thing to run).

I tried priming again today, and it seemed like it was close to starting, but the battery wore out so I'm currently waiting for it to charge. Maybe there's nothing wrong currently, I just haven't primed it enough? I've poured a cumulative three cups or so of gas down the carb over a bit more than a dozen attempts to start.

At this point though, I'm assuming fuel is flowing fine (considering that pop with each rev). Pressing the pedal and causing that pop to stop confuses me though and makes me think there is maybe a fuel flow issue still.

I've also been thinking ignition issues (but it seems to run okay when I pour fuel in the carb) and timing issues, but I don't see how the timing could suddenly fail like that and I don't think it would cause the engine to sputter out like it ran out of fuel.

A coworker suggested that (considering the rain here in the Sound), water may have got in the distributor cap while I was working on it. That's the next thing I'm going to troubleshoot if my third attempt at getting it going doesn't when the battery is done charging. That'll be tomorrow though...

In the meantime, any suggestions? Anyone experience anything similar?

To summarize, was pretty certain the fuel pump had failed or the filter was clogged based on the description of how it died. Replaced said pump and filter. Tried starting with gas in the carb, fires up a bit then dies. When you turn the ignition, it sounds like it might be trying to fire at least one cylinder.