SOS car won't start after head gasket change

[Sgt_Lemon]

Does not a single person know? im getting really desperate as it needs to be sorted tonight.

[JC]

could be a list of things, so difficult to diagnose by forum.

you checked the compression post gasket change ?

all 4 sparking ?

[Diamond Hell]

As per Chuff's post, really.

Almost unbelieveably we're not actually sitting here 24/7 waiting to answer your queries (although I appreciate it may seem like that at times).

Make sure you're timed up correctly on the crank, dizzi drive and cam, then try and start it.  Then, if it won't start like that, release the tension on the cambelt and rotate the dizzi drive by 360degrees (which gives you 180 degrees on the dizzi, by memory) and try again.

It's not K-jet is it?

[Sgt_Lemon]

Yeah sorry just stressing out. It's digifant. Will try adjusting the dizzy 180 like you said. Didn't know how to do that

[Diamond Hell]

You've remembered to re-attach the earth strap to the back of the head before you tried to start it?  The fuel pump still powers up and primes when you turn the key?  As in you haven't blown the ECU?

[Sgt_Lemon]

When I turn the ignition the fuel pump primes. I do this a few times before trying to start. When I try starting the starter motor goes and I can hear a series of pops out of the manifold every few seconds or so (centre pipe hasn't been reattached yet) but nothing else. Occasionally I get a really load pop on a first attempt at starting. I have checked crank, cam and distributor timing at least 10 times each. Checked the sparks are sparking. Checked all the leads and earths. I doubled checked that the crank isn't 180 out. I have kind of run a blank on what else it could be. I read somewhere about compression needing to be higher to start first time. Things on having too much oil from failed attempts.

[JC]

I shall ask again, have you actually checked you have good compression in all 4 cylinders since you stripped it apart

[JC]

and by now,

you will have flooded it well and truly,

soaked the plugs to death,

 pull the plugs, let them dry out for a bit

[Sgt_Lemon]

I'm afraid I don't have a piece of kit for testing compression. It's a long shot but is there another way?

[JC]

long shot, and you MUST ensure you have everything 100%

is a Tow start.

Car at work wouldnt fire up despite good compression post gasket change.  another fitter check evrything was fine

then it was off down the road on the back of the works van.

car started eventually, ran up to temperature and then was fine since.

Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs and be a cnut, but by now you are tired and going round in circles.

Time to beg borrow or steal a car for tomorrow and come back to it fresh at a later date.