[mumof6]

I have a 1990 Magna TP auto, just spent all day yesterday changing the head gasket as it was overheating and all other remedies failed.
Anyway, put it all back together and now it cranks but won't start :(
I think it's one of 2 things, I had another amateur helping me as I'm 24weeks pregnant with #6 and some things I just couldn't do!
#1 the timing might be off although my helper said that they did the TDC thing etc...
#2 The leads for spark plugs were taken off both the distributor cap and the plugs, so they might not have been put back in correct spots.
I am so scared I am going to have to pull everything apart again to try to fix timing, looks like a bugger of a job... I need my car really badly as this baby is high risk and I have to have special scans every 2 weeks which are an hour and a half drive each way away, next scan is in 2 days time!
I should have just gotten a professional to do it but as my husband and I recently separated I have zero spare cash and just getting parts was hard enough, mechanics were going to charge me over $1000 which I just don't have right now :eek:
Please if anyone can help I would really appreciate it. I have the workshop manual, but really it doesn't say stuff in plain english that a non mechanical person can truly understand!
Thanks in advance.

Oh and I also forgot to put fresh oil on the head bolts before doing them up :o

Oh and car was running fine beforehand apart from overheating issues within 5-10 minutes of driving

Oh just thought I'd add, just checked what it would do if leads were off distributor all together, and car did same thing... so does that mean my problem lies there?

There is spark also, have redone TDC on cog and on distributor, still no good. I'm getting really annoyed, have been in tears more than once over this!

[Joe Dornay]

When you put the plug leads on, did you put them in the correct places, using the manual. Is this a 4 or 6 cylinder car.
Do not remove the head again.
Check position of mark on front pulley, for TDC. Make sure that this is not BDC
Take out no 1 plug,( this is plug nearest the front pulley ) remove valve cover and turn engine so that the two valves to no.1piston are closed, tappets should be loose
Gently turn engine using a spanner on the pulley, and at the same time check the position of the piston using a plastic knitting needle, this will show TDC when the piston is 5degrees from right up, take off distributor cap, where the rota arm points, is TDC. For no 1 plug
Did you go with the rotatation of the distributor, or against rotation. Please read your manual, to ascertain which direction to use, and firing order of the plugs,
Hope this helps,
Regards Joe