New cam / timing question. Also hose sucked shut

You should be able to "learn yourself" how to set STATIC timing accurately enough that the engine will start, run, and drive.

Do this:

First you must have the no1 piston on the compression stroke and "ready to fire." So if the valve covers are off, bring the balancer around until the timing marks are "where you want" for timing, that is, 15 BTC or whatever. Examine the no1 and no6 valves and see which ones are closed. If no1 valves are both closed you are on the right "stroke," otherwise, rotate the crank one turn.

The alternate method is to pull no1 plug, bump the engine until you START to feel compression, and then finish turning the engine as the marks come "up" to whatever timing setting you want Some practice may be required.

So now we have the no1 cylinder ready to fire, and the "marks" are where you want the timing.

Now install the dist. if not already, and retard the distributor (cw for smallblock), the BRING THE TIMING ADVANCED slowly until either the points open, or the reluctor is in the middle of the pickup coil. With practice, you can ALSO do this with the key on, and listen for a spark.

Now plug the no1 wire into the hole the rotor points to, and wire from there.

This method, once learned and practiced is good enough that you should be able to start the engine right up, no fuss, no muss.