For the future, you need some simple tools. Get a multimeter and in-line spark tester (neon bulb) from Harbor Freight (both $3 on sale, sometimes free). You also need a battery charger ($6 trickle charger, ~$30 for 10 A charger). I recently got a fancy light Black & Decker one that even tests the alternator for $35 at Big Lots. A remote starter switch is also nice ($3). Connect from +12V to the yellow wire spade terminal on the starter relay (on firewall).
As others say, it should run on just starter fluid, if not flooded w/ gas. I have done that many times in many different cars (and lawnmowers). Remove the air cleaner, open the throttle and spray right down the carb barrel. Close the throttle and quickly run around and crank the engine. For a quickie, you can just spray in the air cleaner and run faster (or use remote switch), but you are now in "no shortcuts" mode. Do this after sitting overnight so any possibly flooded gas has evaporated. I think most carbs have a "clear flood" mode where holding the pedal to the floor doesn't allow any fuel to flow as you crank, but might be just throttle bodies.
Without a spark tester, do as others say, disconnect a spark wire, pull back the boot and set so the metal tip is ~1/4" away from bare metal on the engine (any bolt on the intake manifold or AC compressor). You should see a spark jump the gap as you crank. I know the normal spark gap is 0.035", but it can jump much farther at 1 atm pressure, several inches with electronic ignition.
If no spark, check that the + terminal on your coil has voltage when your key is in the ignition position (oil lamp on). It should be ~8 V since it drops thru the ballast resistor. If not, either the ballast resistor, key switch, or the wiring is bad. While cranking the engine, it should get full battery voltage (13.4 V ideally, less since starter draws it down).
If that is OK, note that the designers put the slant six distributor in a nasty place where it gets dirty and wet. On my first job on the Texas coast, my slant wouldn't start after a rain. The Foreman immediately grabbed a can of WD-40, popped my cap and sprayed all inside. It started right up, as he gave a Cajun grin at the new engineer. Must have been a well-known coonass fix that would probably work as well in SC.
If you have a good spark, and it is going to the right cylinder at the right time (should if you didn't bugger with anything), it should run on starter fluid. If not, go deep and maybe get a shop manual (FSM) for below.
Setup the spark test again on the cyl#1 wire (front of engine), crank the engine and insure that the spark fires about the same time that the TDC mark on the damper aligns with the 0 deg marker (10 deg before is best). It should spark once for every 2 crank rotations. If not, remove the distributor cap and insure the rotor turns as you crank the engine. The slant six has a plastic gear on the distributor that can break. Mine did but only because my brother did a Xmas gift tuneup and didn't tell me he dropped a little nut in the distributor which jammed it 1000 mi later.
If so, the bubble-pack Help line at auto parts used to have the gear for ~$5. Don't make my mistake of putting the gear on wrong. I ASSumed the retainer pin was supposed to fit in the slots on the gear. I didn't even notice the holes for the pin. That was decades ago when I was a dumF kid (and mech engr student, as was my dumerF brother). You can get the guys on
www.slantsix.org excited arguing whether some had 2 pins and if that is better.
When you re-install the distributor, the rotor must point at the #1 tower with the engine at TDC on the compression stroke. Did you mark it first? If not even better, since you can verify. Remove #1 spark plug and hold your finger on the hole while you crank and feel that it pushes air on the compression stroke several times. Stop at TDC on a compression stroke. You will need to rotate the engine by hand, which you can do by just tugging on the alternator belt with both hands (unless a really new engine), and don't do this with the key in the ignition. Now install so the rotor points at #1. It takes a few tries since the gear teeth are slanted so the rotor spins as it goes in. You don't want to be off a tooth, or your "spark phasing" will be off (not good).
If none of the above, wait for SlantSixDan to stumble on this and fix it in a few sentences, or post on slantsix.org and tell them you are thinking of changing to a small block. If you don't understand any of the terms or procedures above, search FABO and wikipedia.
Finally, once you resolve the problem, post the result here for everyone. Don't be a selfish little gamer like my 2 grown boys. We all like to help, but we will shun you forever if you don't reciprocate.
rayer: I don't have an old plug with me....
