Classic/Antique Car Repair: starting an old engine, pontiac catalina, piston engines

Question
I have a 1968 pontiac catalina, 400 v8, its been in my garage for about two years not running,i'm trying to get it ready for the summer, i put in a new battery, and its turning over, but wont start, i smelled somethingburning, so i stopped,what might i need to check,to get it running, i put in new plugs, battery, might need some fuel,do i have to add some fuel in the carburator? let me know thanks,..  scott

Answer
Hi Scott,
I am not a domestic car tech but that should not matter as the procedure would be the same on my cars.
Two year old gas in the carb and lines will probably not want to run. All piston engines operate on the same principals. Enough compression, Good spark at about the correct time and a combustible fuel and it has to run.
Compression can go away in two years by lifters bleeding down and not pumping up when the engine is spun over. Spark is easy to check, just pull any plug and lay it up on the valve cover while attached to the plug wire and put your thumb over the plug hole while someone spins the engine. Your thumb will make a "Pop" sound when that cylinder comes up on compression and the plug will have a thick blue spark that makes a "Click" sound. If the timing is close to correct it will seem that the "Pop" is causing the "Click". If you have a "Click-Pop" or a "Pop-click" the timing is off. Next is the most likely problem and that is stale gas or no gas. You can remove the air filter and spray something like "WD-40" in the carb while someone spins the engine over. Also, you can put a small amount of fresh gas in the carb but stand back before the engine is spun over and have a fire extinguisher handy. If it starts and runs just a second or so and you can't keep it running you probably need to drain the tank, lines and carb. and put in fresh fuel and test fuel pressure to the carb. Two year old fuel can varnish up parts and jets in the carb and cause the inlet and outlet valves in the fuel pump to stick and clog up tank pick-up screens and fuel filters.
I hope this helps, good luck.
Howard