Timing or bigger problem?

[88Situation]

I just replaced my head gaskets and all the other gaskets on my truck but now i out everything back on and it wont fire off itll crank and crank but no go im getting gas but my battery was too dead to check spark would this be my problem or would it be timing wut could this all be i have checked for tdc and rotated the cap to were it points to one with the timing mark between the two timing marks but i just want some ideas

 

[jhammel85]

Between the two timing marks? It's somewhere between 10-12 BTDC right? Does it help if you rotate the plug wires a certain direction? For instance, if it seems like you need to rotate a little more clock wise, rotate the wires in the needed direction.

I did that after I reinstalled my distributor. I was a tooth off..It just wasn't worth taking out and putting it back in again for that. Especially on a cold work night.

 

[88Situation]

alright i got the truck running last night i was 180 off then set it on the exhaust stroke dont laugh to hard but were gettin the timing light on it tonight with a new set of plugs then got to put the rest of the exhaust bolts on to stop the leak anything else i should look for i aint stupid with engines but ive never worked on the clogne too much since i had the vulcan before this on my 93

 

[jhammel85]

Hey, I've set mine by ear to get me home one time. Mr Previous owner broke the little tab on the rotor button and it spun around the distributor shaft one time on my way to work. I made it to work, back firing and barely running. We had no parts store for miles so I expoxied it to the distributor shaft, set it by ear and drove it to the nearest store after it sat for a few hours. Whatever works!

After that I used a light and got it back in spec.

 

[jhammel85]

not that I can think of. Just know that the cat flange is a pain in the ass to stop leaking. Mine is warped and I had to use two gaskets on it.

Keep an eye on the antifreeze too. Not to scare you but usually when a 2.9 needs a headgasket it ends up being a crack in the one (or two) of the heads. Just an FYI.

Other than that, I think they're good engines.