Cranks, wont start

[DjPantsSpecR]

this is a 92 auto 240sx, on monday i got bored and decieded to swap the exhaust cam from my dead 240 out and put it in as the intake in the 92. i know you have to rotate it four teeth back, etc. but i could not get the motor to fire. so after trying a few different cam timings unsuccessfully i put the stock intake cam back in and i still couldnt get it to fire. I even put together my other 240 with identical cam timing and distributer timing, and that fired on the very first try. i am absolutely stumped, i have fuel, spark, and the timing shouldnt be off all that much. i've swapped distributers, mafs, plug wires, everything seems to be spot on. but when i crank it, the best i can get is a series of pops, very rhythmic. i only wonder if i have ultra crappy compression because a) on the second day i got desperate and used a bunch of starter fluid and b)its been cranked so many times and that puts a load of gas on the walls, and is somewhat noticable in the oil, both of these would wash the walls very badly. any similar experiences?

[DjPantsSpecR]

anyone? i need this car to run by tuesday so i can go back to school, any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated