Desperately need 2.3 Ford help

I put together a 2.3 motor recently and I cannot get it to idle or really run at all below 2K rpm. The motor will rev out of the frame but will not attempt to idle. It will idle perfect if I hold my hand over the choke tower so I thought vacuum leak. I sprayed everything down with carb cleaner and couldn't find anything. I figured I missed it somewhere so I rebuilt a different Autolite 2100 carb and changed to a different intake and all the gaskets, same problem. Borrowed a 350 Holley off a running car, same thing. The motor doesn't pop through the carb or exhaust but could it be cam timing? I can't see how holding my hand over the carb would fix cam timing. The ignition timings set on 10A but I can move the distributor around and it doesn't change the idle problem. It sort of seems like there's no fuel at idle and my hand is changing the A/F ratio but it must have gas in the bowl to rev. I used an old upside down looking fuel pump off a 2.0 Ranger, maybe they don't put out enough fuel or pressure at idle for the 2100 carb? I swear the timing marks are dead on but i could be wrong. I'm running out of money and things to change. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I checked the timing for the 20th time and it's dead on. I borrowed an electric fuel pump for up to 7 psi, no difference. Changed carbs again, no difference. Swapped out the new distributor for an old one and it started right up and idled perfect. That was Wednesday, got back to it Saturday. Put five gallons of gas in it and rigged up a throttle linkage and was gonna take it down the road. Same exact problem again, won't idle. What's wrong with this thing? Can a duraspark box or a coil cause something like this?

check for PCV valve

It's not hooked up. I have one but when I switched from the E1 to an Esslinger intake I don't have any vacuum port to hook into.

Take the jets out and throw them away and see what happens.


I'm not joking.

It was wiring. I took out all the cheap crimp connectors and soldered everything, now it runs great, starts great and idles. I swapped out the 2100 for a MC2150 and that took care of a stumble I had going from off idle to wide open.