Starting, idling and dying issues

[youceffhasacar]

Hi
I have a 88 accord lx, carburated, and i'm trying to get to the bottom of what's been causing my car to do the things it's been doing lately. The car's been idling at 300 for a few months now but the big problems first started when it died on a freeway ramp 5 minutes after i started the car and wouldn't start again. The turnover was slow and sluggish as if the battery was out. Problem is I bought the battery brand new over the summer from pepboys and i couldn't see that being the problem. My gas gauge had been near red for a few weeks even after putting 5-7 gallons in. So i called my friend to get me some gas. While i was waiting, someone stopped and tried to give me a jump. The car was turning over fast enough but no start. So I was convinced it couldn't be the battery. My friends got there and i put in a gallon of gas in the tank. I tried to start the car and then it was sluggish again. So we tried to jump the car and after 2 minutes of turning it over, it finally started. Every time i've started the car since then, there's a cloud of smoke that comes out from underneath the car and the engine bay and it smells like gasoline. A few days ago, it wouldn't start again but luckily it was parked at my house. I had someone give me a jump but again it took 2 minutes of turning over for it to start and when it did start, the huge gas cloud came out again. I then took it for a ride to try and charge the battery but it died during a turn 5 minutes later. Luckily, it died close to a gas station so I got a gallon, put it in the tank but again slow turn over. I called my brother to help me push it into a nearby parking lot and as he got there I tried to start it for the last time and it magically started. I search the forum and I think it might be either clogged fuel filters or a bad fuel pump. I know this is a lengthy post but I want to make sure that that's the problem before spending the $65 needed to do the repair.
Thanks for your help

[greentee76]

Have you checked your ground cables? One goes from the battery to the transmission, the other to the top of the valve cover to the body. I would guess that this is your slow cranking issue. When you crank it for extended periods it is flooding, therefore the gas smell.
Also need to check for vacuum leaks.

[Hauntd ca3]

if the car was cranking good for a while when you put the new batt in it, get the starter checked. not just a quick no load test either, it needs to be loaded to show up problems properly.