88 FiveOH

This is my first post in here so bear with me:

Ive got a 88 5.0 HO that is carbureted. It was driving fine this morning and everything was good. I stopped for a while and left it idling. When i left, it started sputtering and about died on me on the way home. I wasnt getting on it hard at all. when i got home it shut off and now im having trouble getting it to run. I looked over everything and the only thing that i have found was the coil wire was loose. i plugged it firmly back into the coil and it will start and idle for about 30 seconds or so then it wont start back up till i take the wire back out of the coil and plug it back in. when i go to start it again it will start for say 5 seconds and shut off. if i pump the gas and turn it over it will run for a couple seconds. but then the next time it will send a mist of gas out of the carb. even scared the bajeezus out of the neighbors when it let a good backfire. ive checked allof the wires going to and from just about anything. the battery is good, all of the grounds are good. im lost now and just getting more frustrated. all of the plug wires are on firm, the plugs are good. the only thing i can think of is the timing or the coil cant check the timing cause it wont run long enough. im not totally new to working on cars but i am loston this. im sure one of you knows whats up. thanks

mjr46

not a hard one to figure out......[&:] when it won't start without touch ing the coil you'll need a spark checker to check for spark at the plug wire...crank it over and look for a good solid spark..if you have it then remove air cleaner and move the throttle back and forth looking at the accelerator pump nozzles to see if a good stead stream of fuel shoots out on each full movement of the throttle......you need to narrow the issue to the fuel system or ignition.............also for the fuel system you can stang there and spray squirts of ether into the carb bore while someone cranks it over if it stays running while you intermitently hit it with shots of ether it's a fuel system problem..like a clogged filter..bad pump, stuck float..ect ect.....as for the ignition system..what typ of ignition is on it?? msd..duraspark..ect ect???