5.0L not starting after rebuild

got the lead on the right way around, if dizzy sparks but it wont idle just fires once or twice it sounds like a timing issue
check leads correctly installed my guess from what your saying

 

it sounds like a timing issue 180 out

 

oh yeah they have that wierd arse marking on the dizzy~! culd be 180 out if so cap leads 180 too but

 

Cylinder numbers (drive belt end-to-transmission end)
Left bank 2-4-6-8
Right bank 1-3-5-7
Firing order 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3

this site has pictures of distributor position for cyl1 then count clockwise in firing order and check your leads~!
Firing order Holden V8 and 6 - Holdenpaedia

 

you want cylinder one at top dead center with timing mark on crank at 0
then pull distributor all the way out
then reinsert so your dizzy with the mark onit lined up
then fit cap
then find no 1 in cap from the pics on that site
count in firing order in a clockwise direction (looking at top of it) and fit your leads to there correct spot

so find 1 on cap then go clockwise the next one will be 2 and again and 7
this is if you want to reset your timing from the start.... if the dizzy is already on the correct timing mark (lined up)
when the engines is on tdc cyl 1 then you dont have to pull it out again just count the firing order.

 

right so if you turn the dizzy it fires but wont start right?

 

okay two of you in here at the moment have the same problem i will link him into here.... anyway

so if you check at a lead do you get spark?
yes timing issue (mechanical cam-crank or dizzy-geardrive)
no secondary circuit fault we can go into that if have to

 

with good spark at the plugs its likely a mechanical component of the engine is at fault...

:idea: these hydraulic lifters are picky did you individually bleed the lifters before installing them?
if not pull plugs out get a beer and crank the car without plugs or fuel if possible for 30 sec at a time leaving for 30 secs between cranks
you should do this for about 10 minutes or MORE refit plugs and with everything in original spot and without wire bridged try again
if fires but wont run (better than before) repeat bleed again.

if not lifters:

either a failure of camshaft drive or failure of dizzy timing
and unless you are looking at wrong marks on dizzy or leads are wrong because you have spark at your plugs
so assuming cam to crank timing is okay
we need to lock out advance (standard ignition module)
"On a VS you use the to pins in the middle of the top row of the diagnostic plug under the steering wheel."
doing this will cause the timing advance to be locked at base timing.
then start motor with accelerator held open a bit and it may start....
if it does set timing with light = with a timing light you can see if its timed correctly on the balancer.

if not dizzy timing and your getting fuel to the motor
i believe you are one to two teeth out on your camshaft timing... soz

 

well if i was sure of the crank cam timing the only other thing i would try
would be too pull the dizzy and refit it 1 tooth in retard (anti clockwise out one tooth)
and retry

if that made a difference or no difference and it has fuel and all dizzy is correct timed to tdc cyl1
my next step would be to pull the timing cover off again and check the cam timing....

 

Yeah i had the same issue.. Trust me, its 180 out.. I checked TDC over and over and had a bunch of mates do the same and we were sure it wasnt.. Somehow it was.. Pain in the arse.. Spray some "start ya bastard" into the inlet manifold and turn it over... If it catches on fire your 180 out

 

dizzy 180 degrees out ide say.you should not crank the engine without it starting first hit of the key. you will wipe the cam lobes off easily if its just been cranked and cranked and cranked LOL