OK, to answer questions:
Powervalves are cheap, just spend the $5 and put a new one in instead of fooling with the old one.
Here's a few more things to try now that the car won't even start...
First thing I'd do is crank it for a while and see if you can get anywhere. If she still won't start, pour about 1 tblspoon of gas down each of your 2 primary barrels. Now try to crank it over again... if it fires up nicely for a second then dies or runs really rough, then it's definately a fuel problem.
IF you've determined it's a fuel problem, then I'd try the following first... Jack up the back end of the car, then disconnect the fuel line at the pump (the line that goes from tank to pump). You should see a healthy stream of gas come out. If not, you've got a blockage in the line or tank.
If you do get a healthy supply of fuel, then your problem is obviously the pump or carb. Fuel pumps can die suddenly, I still think it's a good idea to measure your fuel presure. If you can't get the car started to check the fuel pressure then lemme know and I'll teach you the super-ghetto, very unprofessional way of checking the pump
