just rebuilt runs bad
Time to diagnose..................Did they set the valves? If not,did they set lifter preload properly? .............................
^^^THIS^^^^
CHECK THE COMPRESSION or better yet just CHECK valve lash. CHECK for an open plug wire or broken plug. With engine running use a probe at the distributor cap to GROUND OUT the plugs one at a time. This will tell you quickly which cylinder(s) have a problem. You DO HAVE the plug wires going CW around the cap?
This nonsense of "guessing" the ignition timing is BS
SET THE TIMING so that it WILL RUN
TO DO THAT:
EITHER remove the valve cover(s) so you can see the valves, bring the timing marks up so that THEY ARE SET at about 12-15* BTC, that is, ALIGN the marks WHERE YOU WANT the timing to be set, then look at the valves to see if no1 valves are both closed. If not, rotate the engine ONE turn, and reset the marks
ALTERNATELY pull no 1 plug, stick your finger in the hole, and bump the engine until you START to feel compression. Now pay attention to the marks, and bring the marks up to (AGAIN) where you want the timing set
SCRIBE the position of the no1 plug tower in the cap onto the top rim of the distributor, and drop the dist. in with the rotor pointing to that mark, and now RETARD the distributor some, and slowly ADVANCE it back until, (if you have points) the points just open, or until the reluctor tip is centered in the pickup coil core.
USING THIS METHOD of setting the timing is close enough that you do not need to screw with it. If the engine won't run there, something else wrong.
when you say rotor lined to number 1 plug, this could be wrong? i think it should point to the first intake bolt on drivers side. maybee you need to turn that gear a little to get it straight? good luck
The intermediate gear position is not an issue. You can time any Mopar no matter the gear position.
possibly 180 out. If the distributor was dropped in with timing marks pointing at each other then it was at TDC for #6 cylinder. Has happened before.
He indicated the engine starts and runs. If it runs at all, the dist cannot be 180* out
