The motor wouldn't crank? Or it wouldn't start? Turning over means cranking
What carb was installed? Did you adjust the air fuel mixture? Set the idle? Are you my spark when it doesn't want to start?
The ball is there to maintain vacuum for the hvac system, also when you say it makes noise, are you talking about a noise when you move the cable or just when you turn off the truck?
Check the fuseable links coming off of the starter relay, there should be two that run into the fuse box. Does the headlights work? If so then check the connections at the ignition switch