"pumping some semi-combustable fluid into the carb intake"

By that, I hope you mean fresh gasoline or starting fluid... Even if there's a little water in the floats, it should run a short period of time.

*If* and only if you don't have four fouled plugs. and plugs foul fast in a non-starting car. In extreme cases, I've had to change plugs twice to get a car going on a cold morning.

A couple weeks ago I got a car going that I'd had sitting around for a couple years.. Furthurmore, I had removed the entire ignition system... coil, distributor, wires.. for another car.

I sloppily slapped in an ignition system... it would sputter and pop. But I couldn't get it to catch. Fed it fresh gas from a can.. similar results. Then after a while it wouldn't even try. Mess with timing, clean the plugs... it would sputter and pop again. A day and a half of frustration... finally, as if all the stars and moon lined up, (or maybe it was a different set of spark plugs), it just fired up and ran smooth as ever.

You'll get it...

--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂