96 5.7 vortec no start

i know this seems like its being a common problem. i've read many posts and tryed many things. bottom line is i have spark and fuel almost sounds like it jumped time. i ordered a new distributor because i can turn the halleffects plate in mine. any suggestions on what might be wrong? would i get spark if i needed a module? now i'm working on getting it in time. it's kinda hard to get it exact because there is no way to line up the marks on the balencer.... maybe i have to look deeper but i can't find any without tearing at it. any suggestions or past experience apriciated.

If the #1 cylinder was at tdc on the compression stroke and the rotor pointed to the #1 spark plug location in the cap it should be close. There is no way to set timing on a 96 and up 5.7 without a scanner and then it is a matter of setting it to 0 degrees + or - 2 degrees.

ok here's the deal, i put a new distributor in today and it started. it ran real rough though. so i noticed the wires were original so i changed them along with the plugs. note: i have 150,000 miles on this cherry. anyhow, it still ran rough, so i been moving the distributor one tooth at a time to see if i can get rid of the roughness. i'm feeling like maybe the timing chain slipped? i hope not, i really don't wanna spend a saturday putting that on in my driveway.... can't get it to the garage to work on it. i put a new module in but my old one still works. i think i spent more money than i should have, but it sure beats 50 bucks an hour to the dealer. any suggestions? p.s. ignition system is completely new! someone got any spare luck?

ok here's the end of this thread...... i got it going to this moment still have no clue how? but it's running. i gim,ped it to the shop today, hooked it up to the scanner and got a misfire on #8. checked the wire , plug and compression. still ran rough, so i ran injection cleaner through the injectors through the fuel rail. checked it again still rough. i drove it approx. 9 miles rough as hell.... pulled it back in the garage. scanner on it says #8 still so i pulled the plug hooked the wire up to it and started it. it made everyone jump because of the compression blowing out of the plug hole. found good strong spark. put the plug back in and magic it runs perfect. has been for 15 miles now. i don't know what happened but it did. i just hope it keeps running good.