That's all well and good, but what you describe does not "time" the engine, really. You have got the dist in "close" IF you got the engine up on compression. Did you do that? Now go a step further and put it in TIME.
When you installed the dist, you "could" or "should" have brought the engine up on compression, then bumped it until the marks ARE NOT AT TDC but rather 'where you want the timing,' in other words bring the marks up to 10 or 15BTDC or wherever you want initial timing.
Now, with the no1 tower identified, rotate the dist body CW (retard) and slowly rotate it back CCW (advanced) until the points "break" open, or, if breakerless, to where the reluctor is about in the middle of the pickup coil. YOU CAN ALSO check timing "on the starter" (I "used to know that" but Crackedback reminded me, a few years back)
When you time the engine in this way, you don't have to "screw" with it, crank endlessly, etc. You prime it with a little fuel and START IT UP
If you do that right, it will fire just like it was parked overnight
