problems with timing

[looney lead foot]

can anyone help? I have a problem setting my timing after removing my dizzy to get access to a faulty temp sensor and thermostat.
i marked the position of the dizzy body to the block,the rotor arm to the dizzy body and the rotor arm position on removal.
on reasembley every thing looked ok but it ran ruf as a badgers arse,so i tried advancing and retarding a bit just made it worse, i presumed i had got it one tooth out one way or another so adjusted, no joy. so decided to start again by finding tdc on no.1 cylinder through spark plug hole, once this was found i checked the timing marks on the pully and they lined up with tdc, checked all connections and tried to start her, she's turning over but not firing but there is a spark at the plug. so now it seems to be a fuel problem.
now am i being extreamly bone and missed somthing?

[GreenV8S]

Your best bet is to put it back where you thought was right based on your marks, this should be enough to get it running, then fine tune it using a strobe light with the vac advance disconnected to set the static timing. If you don't know what the timing should be then 8 degrees static would be a reasonable starting point.

If you've put it back to the same position as before, and it ran before but not now, then check you are still getting a spark. Also check you are still getting fuel by pulling one of the plugs out. It's possible that you've flooded it while you were playing with the ignition timing and it won't run properly now even when you get the timing right. Ultimately you may need to fit clean plugs, but it's worth giving the current ones half an hour to dry out first. Make sure you keep the battery charged up, and don't forget to do whatever you have to do on your car to keep the immobiliser happy. And don't run out of petrol.

[looney lead foot]

thanks, i've already tried putting it back to the original position it ran like a dog, backfiring but timing marks read 8 degs advance, i left the car for 5 hour in case of flooding ,plugs looked a little sooty and slighty damp but not too bad. i didn't check for fuel with plug removed i will try it tommorrow

[GreenV8S]

looney lead foot said:

i didn't check for fuel with plug removed i will try it tommorrow

I meant take the plug out to look at it, not turn it over with the plug out. If the plug is wet, you have fuel. You are already checking for a healthy spark, I assume.

[looney lead foot]

thanks, i did understand what you meant, i just worded it wrong,
the plugs were lighty fouled and wet so i dryed and cleaned them double checked tdc on no.1 reset dizzy again, it worked after a while i now have pretty good tickover with a slight miss probably no 8 plug couldn't get it out with tools available,timing reads 8 deg btdc but feels slugish at revs(stationary not under load)so things are looking up