Heads removed and replaced now I don't have any power.

[NHGuy]

Perhaps you have mis clocked the distributor.
I'm thinking your next step is to re confirm your distributor is clocked correctly.
Because of all the troubles you have had I'd recommend doing it by removing the port valve cover and turning or bumping the engine over very slowly til you see both #1 valves are closed and the timing mark on the balancer is coming to the mark on the tab. If this is the issue the rotor will be off by 180 degrees from #1.
If it just won't happen there is a chance the outer balancer ring may have separated from the hub and has turned, that would require replacing the balancer.

I know from personal experience that a 5.7 will run mis clocked 180 degrees and won't rev. .Not so sure on the V6. But since they are siblings, maybe.

If you installed the distributor with the cam gear and crank gear lined up at the install point you'd be off by 180 degrees. Since the cam turns at half speed to the crank, the engine would have to turn over one more time to get the cam lined up for #1.

Or you could just re stab it 180 degrees different and give it a run.

 

[gm280]

It sounds to me that he turned down the rocker arms until it bottomed. And that means he isn't getting the correct valve lift and hence low RPMs. I say back off all the rocker arm adjustments and start over and once the rocker arm touches the push rods, turn another half turn and let it be. You can turn them too far tying to create resistance between the pushrods and rocker arms and collapsed them too far.

They are hydraulic and therefore they remove all the lash themselves unless you cranked them down too far. That's what hydraulic lifters were designed to do. I think he has taken out any pump-up hydraulic oil capabilities in the lifters and that is why he can't get any power. And that will also accounts for it cranking and idling well. Virtually no real lift or duration with the cam now, and the engine runs out of breathe at low RPMs.

No real need to check the cam via dial indicator and degree wheel. It really isn't that type engine build. He either turned the rocker arm bolts too far or the rocker studs themselves are backing out. JMHO!

 

[NHGuy]

Well, he says 180 psi compression test. I'm thinking valve lash might be set OK.

 

[bruceb58]

I know from personal experience that a 5.7 will run mis clocked 180 degrees and won't rev. .Not so sure on the V6. But since they are siblings, maybe.

Hard to imagine it would run at all. Every cylinder would be firing at the top of the exhaust stroke with the exhaust open.

 

[drun_trucker]

Thanks for all the input and ideas. I'm cutting the shrink wrap off this week and digging back in. The first thing Im going to do is make sure I have rockers adjusted correctly. I have a feeling that when I set the adjustment I was on intake not combustion on #1...so I'm going to start there.

 

[Silvertip]

If you have lifters seriously misadjusted, I would also be checking for bent push rods and rocker pivot stud pulling. Why -- piston to valve interference.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

If you're checking compression, just verify the valve adjustment with the compression gauge.
It's dead simple with a tee handle and a socket.
Crank engine with a remote starter switch. Tighten rocker nut down until compression drops off from spec. Then loosen it until it rattles. Tighten it back half way to split the difference.
There's your sweet spot for the nut.
No worries about burning up a valve.