Engine won't start anymore after second try to adjust distributor timing

[Soravia]

I had my '91 KA24DE started and running last week and even drove it to the muffler shop for an exhaust pipe and drove it back. It ran but the timing was a little off and doesn't stay well on idle, although it was running smoothly on parking with 1st gear. The engine has oil and other fluids such as coolent and power steering are full too.

I pulled out the distributor and tried to do it once more like I did before using this manual.http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=161707

I set the #1 all the way to the top. I line up the groove and notch on distributor. I made sure the rotor was on position at #1 and the plugs were put in their own place. (1,3,4,2 counter clockwise). There was fuel and the fuel pump works.

The engine won't start (turns but no ignition) after I did the adjustment again. It had a bang in the exhaust when I kept turning. I re-did all the timing again. and there was just another bang again. Now at this point I was really worried.I started checking all the connections and even swapped the ignition coil, MAF and distributor from another '91 model that was running. Nothing changed. Engine still won't start and all I could get most was a 'Poof' flame noise from the manifold. (I got smart enough to not make a bang')

I'm on a very limited time and budget so I can't really afford to tow to a mechanic. I don't even know how much they'll charge me. So could someone please give me an idea on what I could have been doing wrong? I did get the engine running before on the same procedure. Why won't it work again?
Modified by Soravia at 4:42 AM 3/28/2007

[JeromeS13]

It sounds like you have the distributor 180 degrees off.

-Jerome

[Soravia]

How is that possible? I had the #1 cylinder all the way top and Distributor at Plug #1.Is there something other than that? It should at least fire up something right?I don't know how well the injectors but I do smell fuel after each attempt so I think they are at least pumping some into the engine.
Modified by Soravia at 2:57 PM 3/28/2007

[neverlift]

if it goes bang it has fuel.... if it goes bang thru the intake manifold its way fuct timing....

[Soravia]

The cylinders have compression when I turned using a rachet through the crank pully.

[Florida240sx]

timing is off.. takes a couple tries if your one tooth off you rotate it all the way one wya and it's catch just won't stay running... if it just pops then your more thna a tooth off..being you are on TDC you are probably 180 off

[Soravia]

Just now I had an experienced person do the timing with the valve cover off and it's just about as perfect as it can get. The spark plugs were tested. (not all of them but they had power). The gas comes out enough to smell from driver seat.But still no ignition >.< The only poof I heard was, according to him, compression sound. I also heard a Hissing sound from cylinder #1 while it was adjusted to TDC with spark plug off on #1 and #4. Should the hissing sound be at #4 instead?

Is it possible that I had the pulley put back worng when I replaced the front seal long before? I never messed with the timing chain.
Modified by Soravia at 8:04 PM 3/28/2007

[armyandy13]

ive got the same problem, ive reset the timing and pulled the distributor in and out a dozen times. i even tried a new distributor, ive got plenty of fuel, and spark when i pull a wire off and ground it. im about to beat this car up. by the way mine is a 95 that i rebuilt the engine on three months ago for my brother and it was running awesome one morning he went to start it and it fire a couple times and pooped out.

[armyandy13]

im really hopin for some ideas, im gona try the fuel pressure regulator. my reasoning is that if i let it sit for a day it always putts a couple times before nothing and i smell alot of fuel. i figure if the regulator is bad then it blocking all the fuel in the rail so it makes the mixture much to saturated so it wont fire like its flooding itself.