Timing trouble???

[ScottRod]

Ok, I've read a ton of posts here and still can't seem to get my truck to start. I consider myself a fairly good mechanic and have rebuilt a Hi-Perf 289 previously, so I should be able to start this thing, but to no avail.
I've got a 351W with excellent spark at the plugs, lots of fuel and a distributor that I've reset to the #1 at TDC. The only thing I haven't done is really tear into it to see if my timing chain is dead on, but at TDC, both valves close, so that would tell me that my cam timing is good, right??? I mean, this thing doesn't even so much as cough, backfire or try at all. Poured in a little fresh gas just to make sure I didn't have bad gas , still nothing.
I have taken off a valve cover to make sure all the valves are operating and they are, so no broken cam.
Can anyone tell me something I've missed?

[floyd67]

sounds like your dizzy is 180 degrees out

[ScottRod]

Well, I thought about that, but at TDC on the compression stroke, the rotor is just before the #1 plug tower, which as I understand, is correct. I mean, even at 180 degrees out, if you crank on it and spray starting fluid in the carb as I did, you would at least get some backfiring....I get nothing!

Scott

[Wes]

Pull all the plugs turn the engine over till the cylinders are dry replace the plugs. I had this same issue w/ fox body mustang and 260 v8, wouldn't start. I was pulling what little hair I had left out, I even tore down to the timing chain which was perfect. In the end a new set of spark plugs was all it needed. Not sure why the old plugs would not fire, they had been fuel fouled a couple times, and were Champions. The new Autolites worked and never had an issue after.

[ScottRod]

That could be it, althought the plugs are new and wires are new. I just rechecked the spark and had tons of bright blue spark shooting out of the coil and have good spark at the plug.
It's weird in that there is spark at the coil, spark at the plug, but when I shoot starting fluid DIRECTLY into the cylinder or carb, I don't even get a response...not even a puff.
Heck, the timing could be off 180 degrees and you'll still get a backfire, normally.

ScottRod

[fordman]

i agree it sounds like its flooded.