PUZZLER!!! My new motors a dog! what did I miss?

Before you take the front off, I highly recommend you re-prove the balancerTDC, cuz 5* seems to be a lot for it to be off. If it really is that far off, maybe it needs to be replaced. Of course after the cover comes off, and before you begin the degreeing process, you will need to find true TDC again.
I hope you didn't use the snout bolt to turn the engine during degreeing. This may work with the heads off, but once the valve springs are involved, all bets are off. Also be sure you are degreeing off the lifter body.This is a very tiny target to successfully hit. I made a slug to fit in the lifter bore, with a big head to hit. The dial indicator(DI) plunger needs to remain on the spot,on the slug,where you put it. That is to say, the axis of the DI plunger needs to be parallel to the axis of the lifter bore. They don't need to be concentric, parallel is good. If the plunger scrubs sideways across the slug as the slug rises, then it will not be measuring accurately. It will lose some lift. Fortunately it loses the same amount going down, so its not super-critical.
They make a crank turner. I think I've seen them at Jegs.
Some guys say to turn the lifter upside down. But I suggest that that is a no-no, cuz the base of the lifter, which you will now be measuring off, is anything but flat.You also cannot use the pushrod cup. Some have welded a stick onto or into an old lifter, to bring the measuring surface up to the deck. Well is the base of that lifter FLAT? That could work if the base is flat. I like my slug. But I can't use it once the intake is on, the slug just won't pass through the inspection tunnels.