Mechanical Fuel Pump not working?

[rough69]

Well this has me stumped now officially.

On my '69 C10 350, I can't get the fuel pump to push / creats psi. it seems.

I even removed the fuel sending unit sock, blew through the fuel line, and everything seems ok there. Added like 3 gallons to the tank and checked that the sending unit is dipped in.

I even tried hooking a fuel can directly to the fuel pump and it still would not run.

The only time I can get the engine to fire for a short time is when I dump gas down the throat of the carb.

Timing is set properly as the truck does sound healthy when it fires for the few seconds it can. The carb was removed from a runner.

Everytime I look at the clear filter (Fram G3) it is dry when I am cranking. I tried cranking with the fuel line off the carb, it doesn't "squirt".

I even tried replacing the fuel pump with another sapare one I had lying around but same thing.

What are the odds that both pumps are bad? Is there a way to check the diaphragm?

Is there a possibility that the fule pump rod thing is screwed up (it is there). How can I check that?

Is it possible the lobe on the camshaft is nuked?

I'm damn close to just slapping an electric on it but I hate having a damn eggbeater / blender / rock tumbler under my truck.