360 ENGINE REBUILD WILL NOT START

Let me start by stating that I’m a good mechanic, but this is my first V-8 engine build.
Following the instructions from my Chilton’s manual, I have rebuilt a 360 engine in my 78 Power Wagon.
It will not start. It spit, sputters, and backfires.
I’m 99% sure I assemble the timing chain to the cam and crank with the #1 piston @ TDC.
The coil and ignition resistor checks out as OK.
I stuffed some tissue in the #1 spark plug hole. Once it popped out, the distributor rotor is pointing to the #1 spark plug wire on the cap.
I’m picking up today a compression gauge to check each cylinder.

What am I missing?
I would appreciate any suggestions that will help me through this struggle.

Thanks,

SLD

Maybe you need to turn the distributor 180 degrees. With the number one piston up it could be on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke.

How did you install the timming chain? How did you install the oil pump drive gear?

I have tried the 180 rotation of the distributor.
It did not help.
As for the chain installation, I can remember that the dots were lined up while the #1 cylinder was flush. The keyways on the cam and crank allowed the gears to go on. I did have a problem with lining up the oil pump shaft with the cam originally. I removed the intake and re-installed it to the manuals instructions. With the rotor pointing to the #1 plug wire, I assume that I have that shaft in the right location.
Make any sense?

SLD

Dot to dot on gears at 6 and 12 o'clock wih #1 on TDC puts #1 on intake stroke and #6 on compression stroke. So the oil pump drive gets pointed at #6 unless you rotate engine to get #1 up on compression stroke and then line it up to #1.

turn the crank to the (2) sweet spots (I'll see if I can find em) & preoil each head at each sweet spot. Then set the dampener timing marks on 15 BTDC. remove a valve cover & see if #1 or #6 valves (depending on which VC you pull) are open or closed. if you pull the dr cover & #1's rocker arms are closed then clock the intergear/dist so the rotor is forward & slightly to the pass side & plug in the #1 plug wire at that point. If the #1 cyls' rocker arms are open then clock the intergear/install dist so the rotor is pointing to the rear & slightly to the dr side & plug in the #6 plug wire at that point. have the vac can on the pass side with room to be turned either way and turn the housing till the magnet is dead even with the tooth and the rotor should be pointing at or close to the specific cap terminal & note that the can will shift the rotor (rotor phasing) CCW (on a SB) from the at rest/no vac/springs retracted position. Check the plug wire firing order (CW). No opinion on where there has been enough cranking to whether the intake should be removed & the cam regooped (cam failures are epidemic). read "breakin secrets" at www.mototuneusa.com make a mark on the dampener 2&1/4" CW from the TDC slit & have your helper set it to that when it fires (can plugged. Gun the eng repeatedly during the breakin. Any issues (leaks etc) shut it off immediately/fix it/restart/continue on. EDIT Do not do a compression test as that will further wipe the cam & there is no need for that test right now. MORE EDIT 90 deg BTDC #1 compression to oil pass head (your dampener may have 90 deg partial slits or cut a strip of paper 5.694" with your calipers to use as a ruler). 20 ATDC #6 compression (use the timing tab as a ruler to get the extra 5 deg) for drivers side oiling

Sounds like your distrib is off or your t-chain is off. Have you turned the distrib while somebody cranks it yet?

Or the ignition wires order is backwards on the cap.

Lots of good info here, but start from the basic stuff first. It may sound stupid but stupid stuff do happen .

Confirm you have fuel in the carb and its spraying.

If you only put #1 piston on TDC and then put the chain on(as you say you done) without aligning the marks, the cam could be anywhere. maybe you did align the marks but you never said . You have to confirm that your mechanical timing is correct before moving on to electrical timing.

If you confirm the cam/crank timing is ok, move on to the electrical timing by pulling #1 plug and bring to TDC on compression stroke , if dist is in correct , the rotor button should be pointing at #1 wire in the cap or there about. If not , you will have to mess with the dist till you get that fixed either by pulling the dist and moving the gear or changing the wires in the cap (not the right way).

If you can confirm that you have the dist fixed , then confirm that you have spark by grounding a plug on the engine and turn the engine over and see if the plug fires.

If the plug fires, you got compression, you got fuel , your cam/crank timing is correct , you electrical timing is right . the engine should start

please reply with your findings , it should take no longer than a 1/2 hr to check the above .

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Or the ignition wires order is backwards on the cap.

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Yes you NEVER use the #1 on the cap as "true".