To give a "brief" overview on the past few weeks:

I took my car for a paintjob, and driving home it died on me. I got it towed to my house. A friend came over and we pulled the fuel line to the carb to find no gas coming out of it - even when you tried to start the car. We suspected a bad fuel pump.

Then Amervo came over and we went to replace the fuel pump, but the company sent me an electric fuel pump instead of a mechanical one. We pulled the old pump off to discover fuel freely flowing from the line to the pump. We again suspected a bad fuel pump. (ok, Amervo wasn't convinced, but it was a start.)

When I got the proper fuel pump, Amervo came over after work again (yesterday), and we installed it (I think I helped this time, but my alergies were punishing me!). Actually took off the power steering pump and alternator (that sucker is heavy!) to get easy access to the fuel pump. When we had everything off, Amervo noted that my timing chain seemed loose. (reaching through the opening for the fuel pump) We got everything put back together and at the moment of truth, we realized it didn't solve the problem.

We put gas into the carb and tried to start the car (like 10 times). Each time the car "ran" for a second or 2. Put it just wasn't getting fuel from the tank!

So - firts possibility, inproper installation. Eh - doubtful. Amervo seemed to know exactly what he was doing, and the proper way to set the arm of the pump, etc. Still, this wouldn't hurt to redo?

Second possibility -the ecentric on the cam isn't functioning properly. (ok, how would you fix this?)

Third possibility - uh... my car hates me?


So what do you guys think? What else can we try?

Amervo suggested we could get into it, change out the timing chain, fix my little coolant leak, and see if the ecentric is broken. Big job. Big big job. Amervo suggested replacing the engine - but my wife's reaction to that said it all.

Please - some ideas?