Car wont start unless distributor is advanced

[rikiewrx]

Ok, I have a 91 integra. Car ran great before I installed new timing belt, water pump, and crower stage 1 cams.
It's all back together and only starts if I advance the distributor beyond the the adjustment bolts. Once started I can move it back to within the allowed area and it runs great. Is my distributor bad?? Can it be tested?

Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[R13]

Sounds like you timing belt is off a few teeth, I would correct it first and see what happens.

 

[Muckman]

Do a compression test. That would show if tbelt was off too.

 

[rikiewrx]

Checked and triple checked the timing belt. But I'll keep checking it.
I did a compression check as well. If the timing was off, would the compression be low??

 

[BrokenTalon27]

What marks are you using to check the timing?

 

[rikiewrx]

I'm putting 5mm dowls in cam holes, making sure the cam gear marks line up with the lines on the plastic behind the cam gears, and lining the crank gear or oil pump gear, lines up with the mark on the block. I've installed the harmonic balancer as well to make sure it matches the appropriate mark.

 

[Muckman]

What cams are these?
Do you have adjustable cam gears?
If your tbelt is off a tooth then it would show irregular compression numbers that are not consistent.

 

[rikiewrx]

It's doin the same with the crower stage 1's or the stock cams. At first I thought it was the crower cams so I reinstalled the stock set with no improvement.
No adjustable gears.

 

[Muckman]

That tells me its something you did wrong on the install. Very likely the tbelt is off.

After you line it up and tighten the tension you should be able to crank it over and have all 3 points still line up at TDC. Im not going to believe the tbelt is installed correctly unless you come back with even compression numbers. Get a compression tester, they're like $20.

And what else did you touch/remove during the install?

 

[rikiewrx]

I own a compression tester. I'll check all the cylinders this week. All 3 points line up after I've ran it. That's why im so confused. I also installed new intake and exhaust vavles, valve seals, and head gasket. Valve lapped all the valves to ensure proper a proper seal and gapped the valves according to spec.