[RossB_1970C10]

So yes another day and the truck wont start!

Its a 350 motor with stock alternator,hedman headers,edelbrock carb and intake, aftermarket hei distributor, and a 4 speed tranny....

....so far i have done this:

1-Visaully checked accelarator pump,it does squirt gas so i know i have some.

2-Replaced cap,rotor,wires,plugs,coil. (plugs were horribly oil coated, 1 wire melted.

3-Confirmed 12 v at distributor battery input/confimed metal strap under coil!

4-Checked tachometer output with test lamp and it flashes when attempting to start.

The starter sounds like its really stugglin to turn the engine as its very cold outside.

I thought it might be the battery so i swapped with one out of my honda which had about 200 more cold cranking amps and same lethargic starter sound!!

Also in trying to get it to start i did adjust the 2 main jet valves on edelbrock carb....does anyone know what a good starting point is for the # of turns i should twist on the carb??

Anyones suggestions would be greatly appreciated as to what to try next to get my baby movin!!

[Cyberats]

They don't call it Cold Cranking Amps for nothing, I think your CCA should be a minimum of 750A (4cyl. batteries are anemic low on CCA). I wouldn't put less in my daily driver & it's not a 350cu.in. & I live in the sun.
Somebody here told me oily plugs means bad head seals, if the problem is severe, it may prevent ignition (just my best guess), check oil level. As to the burned wire, I don't know, maybe your coil is improperly set.
Depending where you live and how cold all year around, there might be a reason manufacturers put in engine block heaters ?
Reset carb to factory settings till you get the thing running, then tune it to whatever you need once problem solved.
Other than that I will step down and let the experts here give you better advice.

[scapegoat]

Thats weird. I had a mild 350 with an eldlebrock on it with a manual choke and it would start at -30f. I would just pump the hell out of the pedal and hit the key with the choke fully closed and it would fire up great.

[74chevy454]

Get a new bigger battery with min 750 cca and then you can diagnose it better.
The sound that ur saying is either from not enough juice or soomething is causing drag internally. Had a bbc 454 that spun a rod bearing( actually bearing halved up on it self) and that thing would sound like a dead battery for a sec then when it got the drag free off crank for that 1 sec she would fire and run just made a funny sound when that rod and bearing would meet.hhehehehe never will forget that sound but know its a 468 30 over with all edelbrock rpm performer package and boy does it lope.