Hey guys, I have posted a question or two about this "problem child" of an engine before, so here goes another. I really need some advice!!!

Here is the problem: 71 383 Charger SE 2brl, all stock, motor looks virgin. Bought non running so I dont know any history. The problem is that I cant get it running successfully. At TDC, I have never got it to fire/idle. It will crank a few seconds, then make a poping noise, then I see smoke come from the side of the engine??? However, strangely enough, at 180 out on the distributor, it will run and idle. BUT, it will backfire through the carb (not terrible when just idling), but as I increase the throttle, it gets pretty violent. Ironically, I thought for a long time that 180 off (firing #6 at TDC) was the correct location, as it was the only way it would run? So, in short, I have an engine that at #1 TDC has yet to fire, and only backfires through the exhaust (I think), but will idle at 180 off (#6 firing at TDC), but will backfire violently through the carb especially as RPM's increase.

Here is what I have done: Engine had sat for a long time (10+years), so I pulled all the plugs and marvel mystery oiled the cylinders, let sit. Unhooked the fuel line at the pump, and am running it off new gas in a gas can. I then replaced all the plugs with new. I then put new wires on. I also primed the motor (dist went back in exactly as it came out). I replaced the points/condenser/cap/rotor). All those steps did not solve anything, the car has run the same (all steps done seperately, and I test ran the car in between, nothing changed). I ran a compression test, and found 125-140 in all cylinders. I then thought it must be a skipped tooth on the timing chain, so I pulled the front cover and looked. Stock nylon gear was missing some of the nylon, but timing marks were still lined up. I replaced the timing chain, and tested the motor, no change! Just to save some obvious questions, I have triple checked the firing order, it is correct. Dist spins counterclockwise. I installed the timing chain correctly (the new and old ran the same). I gapped the plugs and points correctly, it has always run the same. Moving the dist a few degrees either way never changes anything (the carb backfire), etc...

Bottom line, I have been tinkering with this engine for a month or two now (off and on). I find it weird that it fires right up at 180 off and when idling a 700 rpm or so, you can barely tell anything is wrong. I burned nearly 2 gallons of gas trying to adjust stuff, and the whole time it was 180 off. When I pulled the timing cover, and lined the timing marks up (upper gear at 6 o'clock and lower gear at 12 o'clock) I then realized that it was firing #6 cylinder at that moment. So, I advanced everything 4 posts forward on the dist (firing order is correct) and it was then lined up to fire #1. Would not fire at #1. Just for kicks I moved all wires back to make it fire 180 out on the dist, and it runs. In fact, through the process, I have changed firing positions on the dist from #1 to #6 and it only runs when it is at #6? Like I said, it just seems like it is building pressure or something when I have the firing position correct, but never fires at #1 TDC? But also remember, that when it does fire at 180 out, it runs poorly, especially as the RPMs increase, and it backfires violently through the carb.

Looking for advice on what to do next, or if anyone has ever had a problem similar???

THANKS EVERYONE!