'88 VERY hard starting! help...

My car takes 5 to 7 minutes before it stays running.it also stalls at stops, where i must hurry to crank my car.
I took the time to find what it sounds like.

http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/display/sounds.cfm/sound_group_iid.766
go to # 61[hard start]

now, play that over and over.

ive done battery, fuel pump, alternator, coil, EVERYTHING!
and it does this anytime i start it, not just when hot or cold...
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!i want to handle it before i get stranded somwhere[even though i have other cars...]

any help would be appreciated.

Carburetor.

Specifically:

Choke settings - make sure the choke is operational and properly set
Idle mixture control
Idle speed control

While starting it, do u pump the gas? In some cases with a carbureted vehicle, pumping the gas during startup may be necesary, especially with older carbs that could use a rebuild.

earlier today, i went out to start it, and it took FOREVER the 1st try. then my neighbor suggested the gas pump thing, too. i tried it and it still took about 3 minute, instead of the reg. 5 to7. is there a way to get it fixed for good? my other neighbor[a mech.]said a new carburator would do nothing.

When it is running, is the power down on it from what it should be? You might be getting ready to lose a timing sprocket (these were OEM aluminum with nylon teeth to abate noise).

Throw a good tune-up on it and see if that helps. Replace your ignition wires, distributor cap and rotor. Also replace the spark plugs, set your curb idle and idle speed settings on the carb, then adjust your static ignition timing using the method on the emissions label on your radiator mount/fan shroud. Do you get a Service Engine Soon light on the dash, and if so do you have the trouble codes?

If it's not valve timing, then I would have to say it's the carb despite what your neighbor says.