Replaced my head gasket with a friend that has done it before on his 240z. I have a 76 280z. after everything was put back together it would not start. My question is do I have to redo the ignition timing? I already timed it with the oil pump and the rotor was facing the #1 on the cap. And my engine was also at tdc. Do I have to use a timing light and retime the distributor even though it was already timed before I pulled everything out?

thank you

Does the engine fire at all, even if just a backfire?

No back fires. It will keep cranking but no start. sometimes it will barely want to start but that would only last for like a second. I'm getting spark at #1 spark plug. and I'm getting fuel from my cold start also.

You said you were on TDC.....Are you sure it was TDC compression stroke (both lobes on #1 up and the the notch on the cam sprocket aligned with the mark on the cam timing plate and rotor pointing to number 1 on distributor)?

Edited September 28, 201212 yr by Diseazd

http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/timing/mechtime.html

The cam marked was centered like in the pictures. Both lobes were facing like that in the pictures also. Timing mark was at zero and piston at TDC like the picture. The only thing that looked different was my distributor. I looked on my cap to see where my #1 spark plug was suppose to be at and that's how i set it. Before putting in the oil pump i made sure that the wedge shape mark was aligned with the dot. Putting it while trying to keep it align still without moving it was a bit difficult so i might have moved it in the process, but since the distributor was pointing at 1 where my #1 spark plug was on the cap i didn't think i made a mistake there. After doing all that i was wondering if i had to use a timing light to retime everything again, even though it was already time before i pulled the head. Also i forgot when installing the timing chain to make sure all of the light links were lined up with the mark on the cam sprocket and the crank. But i didn't think that was an issue because i assumed that was only there to help line up the timing mark on the sprocket and the plate easier. Is that going to be an issue?

Only if that loud clanking noise is your valves contacting the top of your pistons! :classic:

No loud clanking sound here. Just a car that will not start!

Also I got a new battery. What's the Recommended cranking amp? I Feel like she's a little slow on the cranking when I try to start her up

Did you try moving the dizzy while starting ? Try a big change by turning the dizzy to see if you are possibly off one link. If it tries to start or runs, but poorly, then you probably are not lined up right.

Timing is likely out, verify with a timing light. Also check the firing order, to make sure it's correct and counter-clockwise when looking at the distributor.

Try sqiurting a "small" amount of fuel into the intake. You may not be getting any / enough fuel.

Thank you for all the replies. I'll troubleshoot it some more this weekend and report back to this thread.