Help!!! fresh rebuilt won't start.

Jay68SST wrote: I guess I should explain a little better on the starting.  When cranking it will fire sporadically, running open headers and you can hear it pop and fire but just won't completely start. I didn't have the harmonic balancer rebuilt because it read 0 degrees when I had #1 cylinder at TDC.  I followed the AMC manual to a T on installing the timing chain making sure the dots were perfect and even counted the links like the book says. That was my next move is to install my factory 343 distributor with points, just need to get a coil and wires.  I just ordered a different distributor with smaller cap, as the large HEI doesn't allow me to rotate very far...just didn't think I would have this much of a problem.

motorhead_1 wrote: cam not ground correctly? not degreed?

Looks like I will be removing the valve covers and make sure the valves are closed when TDC for each cylinder. Pushrods are stock length, so that should not be the problem. When finding TDC for#1 to set timing, I took the spark plug out and placed my thumb over and I could not keep my thumb over the hole while the engine turned over, I guess we will see this weekend.

I'd check compression like Boris says also with plugs in and choke closed hookup a vacuum gauge see if it makes vacuum while cranking.   If it doesn't. Try to loosen valves a turn or so. Block off all external vacuum points to brakes and pcv and stuff   Or if it's been rebuilt long long ago squirt some oil in the cyls see if it improves. Sometimes you can get dry cyls or cyl wash from a droopy carb washing oil off cyls     Old timers used to smoke a ciggy and put ciggy over carb to see if engine would pull the smoke in while cranking.   Was a good parking lot test to see if timing chain jumped.   I know you stated you followed Tsm instructions but it's possible that the intake is leaking underneath or valves are not ground correctly like seats and valves cut at wrong angles.    If it's been apart for a long time Could there be critters living in the exhaust?? Good luck

Make sure vacuum secondaries are closed when cranking if they are open it won't pull enough fuel to start