Ran gas now starts then turns off and smells like burning rubber

Unusual for a rubber smell could it be plastic? I would suggest possible a wiring loom that has either shorted and melted or has touched a hot component and melted. If you can smell burning with the electrics on but the engine off it is probably a shot and you may be able to trace with sight and smell with just the ignition switch in. This can cause issue with starting as it could be a feed to or from the starter, an imobiliser cable or just the ecu seeing an electrical fault and not allowing you to start. An unto electrician should be able to advise if you can't find it. You don't say if it is turning over but not firing or not turning over at all
hope this helps

sound like AC COMPRESSOR clutch bearing going bad causing locking up putting drag on drive causing drive belt slip giving a burn rubber smell.

SOUND LIKE ALTERNATOR SHAFT BEARING FAILING CAUSING ALTERNATOR PULLEY LOCK OR PUT DRAG ON DRIVE BELT CAUSING BURN RUBBER SMELL OR DRIVE BELT LOOSE CAUSES BELT SLIPPAGE MAKE BELT RUB AND BURN.WHEN YOU SMELL RUBBER BELT BURN SMELL WATCH OUT DRIVE IS GOING TO BREAK.

Run a compression test. Sounds like a bad head gasket, letting coolant into the cylinder and causing misfire. I think you will find one (or two adjacent) cylinders have much lower compression than the others. There should not be more than 20% difference from highest to lowest.

hit the key five times without trying to start, just bump the starter, after the fith time turn it over and it should crank

only thing that can cause this is a faulty ignition switch.. There must be a short internal to it. It thinks its in the accessory position

we call these vehicles exploders.. lol
sounds like a fuel delivery issue, does it throw a check engine warning?

If the starter doesn't turn over the battery is dead or you need to replace the starter.

The gas gage not working is caused by the fuel level sender located in the fuel tank this will also need to be replaced.

take a rubber mallot and lightly pound on the middle of the tank while starting. if it starts it is the fuel pump

I've had two Mercury Villagers - I love them, I think they are great cars!

I think the problem your having is a bad injector. You can measure the resistance of each injector, they are suppose to be within a certain tolerance I forget what that is.

The burning rubber smell is because you have raw fuel going into the catalytic converter, this causes the converter to get very hot.

What I've found is that if you use a fuel system cleaner or an injector cleaner - then use only high-grade gas it will usually work as well.

I've also found that you can get re-built injectors for a pretty reasonable price. Installing the front three is not much work, but the rear three are worth paying for someone else to do it. Just google "rebuilt injectors" and you'll find lots of places.

-Matt