Any of you that have been following with my starting issues... I went back at it again this morning. Redid everything. Started at TDC compression stroke. restabbed my distributor. Aligned the rotor. Hooked up all the ignition wires and triple checked them, and I am getting the same results. Sounds like a few of the cylinders are firing and then almost everytime it backfires through the intake and/or spits fuel up through the carb. My question is...

I set the rocker arms to the Chilton's specs. IF I tightened those rocker arms down too tight, would it be creating these issues? I was thinking that if they are too tight then they are not allowing the valves to close thus I am getting backfire through the intake valves that aren't fully closing and it won't start. If this is a possibility can I get an alternative to the Chilton's rocker arm specs:
TDC at compression-
Exhaust-1 3 4 8
Intake-1 2 5 7
One full revolution of the crank back to 0
Exhaust-2 5 6 7
Intake-3 4 6 8

The thing I am shaky on is it tells me to keep tightening until the pushrod can not be freely turned and one fulll turn. I took the freely turned to mean I COULD NOT turn it with my fingers, then I gave it one more turn. Any suggestions and advice will be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
Karl

 

Sure sounds like it's 180 out.

 

Karl,
When you adjust those rockers barely put enough effort on the pushrod to twist it. When it stops moving FREELY turn the nut an additional 3/4 turn. Freely means it stops moving with minimal finger pressure, but if you try hard enough, it will still turn with your fingers. Just BARELY put pressure on them.

 

:nono:one thing wrong is you over tightened those valves. Yep. You don’t want any pushrod movement up or down – no lash. But when you can still turn those pushrods in place freely – then turn nut ¼ to ¾ turn tight (bout ½ is good enough). You have to do all this when lifter is on the base circle meaning off the lobe completely. I like to verify by observing opposite cylinder has valves rocking in overlap – like #6 rocks while #1 is on base circle. I don’t have my books here but that Chilton’s should be fine.
Well heck lets figure it out. While one cylinder is firing another is 360 crank degrees away from firing with both valves rocking in overlap. Firing order is 18436572 and a cylinder fires every 90* of crank degrees. So when #1 cylinder valves shut (cylinder fires) then 360* = 90*(cyl #8)+90*(cyl #4)+90*(cyl #3)+90*(cyl #6) = #6 cylinder has valves rocking. Now for #8 cyl valves shut: 360*=90*(#4)+90*(#3)+90*(#6)+90*(#5) = #5 cyl has valves rocking. One more? Okay. Lets try #7 valves shut, then for 360*= 90*(#2)+90*(#1)+90*(#8)+90*(#4) = #4 valves rocking. If chalk marks put on your dampener every 90* (like slicing it into 4 equal pieces with TDC mark on a line) you could see this.
Just take your time and think it out, as valve timing is very helpful to understand when just getting things together/started. And please double check/verify my explanations. :seeya