Well, I just replaced the head after having the threads of a sparkplug hole repaired. I doube-checked that I reinstalled everything correctly and I am at a loss for answers. The truck cranks easily, has spark at all plugs, is receiving fuel in the carb and gas in the tank. Being just an amateur mechanic I failed to mark the location of the rotor when I pulled the distributor. I then rotated the engine to TDC by aligning the T mark on the timing belt cover with the notch in the crank pulley and then aligned the rotor with the no. 1 spark plug on the distributor. The engine continues to crank easily but will not fire. I turned the rotor 180 degrees and still nothing. Now, me and my neighbor who was foolish enough to ask if he could help are just stumped!!! This truck has been so reliable and it kills me to see it sit in the driveway. Please HELP!

 

The mark on the crankshaft pulley hits zero at both top dead center as well as top dead center. If you have already tried moving the rotor 180 degrees (to the #4 cylinder) and it still doesn't work then that is probably not the problem. Did you maybe move the motor to TDC after removing the camshaft? Try removing the valve cover and check to make sure the pin on the camshaft cog at the front of the head is at 12 o'clock. If it is not it try rotating the engine around to the zero mark again and see if it is at 12 o'clock. If the camshaft is not at TDC as well, then the intake valves would not be open on the proper cylinders which could be the problem. Also, you've probably noticed that when you put the distributor in, it turns, which means you need to position the rotor slightly before the #1 cylinder location so that it ends up pointed directly at the #1 cylinder position on the distributor.

 

check your points, gap, leads, make sure you have a rotor arm/button in the cap, give the terminals in the cap a scrape with a screw driver. do everything you can think of with the distributor.

if all that fails, i don't like your chances. a common problem when assembling an enginee is a putting the distributor in 360º out of phase (this means that #4 will be getting a spark when it sould be going #1 but since #4 is at the end of the exhaust stroke nothing will ignite).

i'm not sure if this is the best thing to do in your case but if you have some how alinged the motor with the timing some multiple of 180º out of phase you could probably get yourself out of trouble, without having to get a new head gasket.

rotate the motor so the timing mark is at TDC, this will mean #1 (assuming fuel and air are in there) is ready to fire and all that is missing is the spark. take the cap of the distributor and look to where it wants to send the spark. put the lead for #1 on that side of the distributor cap and adjust the others acordingly.

 

Should not need to remove valve cover to check cam pulley but would allow you to look which valve will open next. I would start by pulling the #1 spark plug and rotatiing the engine until mark on crank pulley is at TDC. Next stick a long skinny screw driver in the spark plug hole or look inside with a bright flashlight and make sure the piston is up. This will ensure that you are at TDC of #1. Then look at the cam pulley and make sure the lug on the camshaft is pointing straight up at 12:00 position. ( There is only one way to put the camshaft pulley on isn't there? Been a while since have done belt on truck and don't remember. If all of there are lined up then the cam/crank are ini sync. now look at the rotor and make sure it is pointing a the #1 lug of the cap. Make sure wires are on right too ok course. Any other info on what you are doing or are you even checking post?