If the motor tends to stop dead when you are trying to start it, the timing is off. I would suggest setting the distributor so the points just open when the pointer is at the steel ball, then retard the timing by about another few degees and that should be good to start. I would definitely stay away from the starter fluid,
I think I know what you mean about the motor stopping dead when you crank it. It's like rrrrr, rrrrr, clunk, rrrrr, rrrrr, clunk. That clunk is like someone stops the engine cold while you're cranking. What causes that?
