Head job gone wrong

i just did a head job on a 305 chevy. i put all new gaskets and cleaned everything up. I did this becuase i was burning some white smoke out of the exhaust. Not that i have everything back together every bolt torque corectly and everything the mortor won't start we didn't move the crank at all when we took it apart or put it back together. so we put the ditributor back where it was before. It won';t start at all. everything is moving and turning. The rocker and lifters are all moving so it isn't over tightened. I have fuel and spark. can someone tell me if it is the timimg or if it could be something else.

To see if you are off on the distributor location, with the #1 plug removed rotate the crank by hand with one of your fingers in the plug hole. On the compression stroke, you will feel your finger being pushed out, watch for the timing makes to line up. Now remove the dist. cap and check to position of the rotor, it should be pointing to where the the #1 is in reference to the cap. This is usually what happens. When you remove and try to replace the dist. it trys to rotate forwards, you need to start it in a little before the number one postion. Also you might have to use a long screw driver to rotate the oil pump drive shaft alittle to line up with the slot in the bottom of the dist. It get a little stricky sometime and my take more than one try. Don't force anything, also if you set in the right place where it will in up after it drops down, you can have someone bump the ignition just enough to line up the pump shaft. Like I said it might take a couple of trys, but you will get it. After it's in check the finger in the hole again and see where the timing make is and the rotor to cap location. Good luck.

we got the timing correct so that everything lined up and then when we tried to crank it over the car would back fire once out of the exhaust and then the timing would change. I am getting a steady crank it just won't fire up. We had a mechanic tell us that it could be that the timing chain is striped and is jumping around. Even though the top and bottom end is moving. BUt i just put a timing chain on it and i have not even put 10 miles on the car with the new chain on it. Another thing is that when we did the head there might be a good amount of antifreeze in the oil. So could that be the problem too? please get back to me

As noted above, you can have the timing marks lined up, check with a llight, and still be a half turn out. Four stroke engine will rotate two times for one combustion. Take out that number one plug, rotate the engine to get compression pressure at the hole, and look at the rotor tip on the dist. Sure sounds like it's out of time, or the spark plug wires are out of order.

That's what I said!! You have to do the finger check. If you changed the timing chain and it ran fine before you did the head work, then your dist. is in wrong place. :2cents:

yea we checked all of that. and the timing was correct. but it still didn't fire. so now we think that it is the rocker arms and that we didn't tighten them enough on the top end so the valves aren't opening up enough and we aren't getting enough compression on the top. Because the motor is turning over really raelly quick when we try to start it. thanks for all of your guys help.

Before you do damage to the valves and pistons, think about how your motor works! If you motor turns fast without a lot of compression, your rocker would be to tight not to lose and the valves are open. Still sounds like the timing chain is in the wrong place allowing the low compression. That means the valves are open when they should be closed. See your local mechanic!!!!

yea we checked all of that. and the timing was correct. but it still didn't fire. so now we think that it is the rocker arms and that we didn't tighten them enough on the top end so the valves aren't opening up enough and we aren't getting enough compression on the top. Because the motor is turning over really raelly quick when we try to start it. thanks for all of your guys help.
i agree double check everything

just a thought, anytime you do engine work

1. be sure to have all the info and specs for the engine
2. be sure to have all the parts
3. do not rush thru the work
4. MARK THE DISTRIBATOR AND ROTOR FOR TIMING ALINEMENT
5. make all wires and vaccum lines
6. keep bolts, nuts, screws, and brackets for the different engine parts with each other

back fire thru exhaust is a timing problem you need to reset the #1 piston and then reset the distribator, but it would be wise of you to find a book so you know where the #1 plug location on the distribator cap is

good luck

take distributer out and turn it 180 degreas, just do it! if it doesnt start then put it back where you had it but i go with timeing
but before you do that loosen dist. bolt and move it around while cranking the engine, you may be off a tooth, if it fires at the far end of the turn you are off a tooth if not take dist. out and turn it 180 degr.
a comprestion test will tell if you are off on your timeing.

not think he checked back in