Scirocco Register

A couple weeks ago the head gasket went on the motorway.
I finally got round to changing it by now i can't get it to start again.
Its had a new gasket, head bolts and belt. And ive timed it up using, flywheel mark (also put it at tdc @ #1 when head was off), inside mark on cam and on intermediate shaft. It then had a new battery and there is juice going down the leads (decided it would be a good idea to touch them to check), and there is fuel going to and coming out of the carb. Starting to get a bit frustrated now as I do need it back on the road.
Its a 1.8 carb.
any advice would be much appreciated,

What happens when you try to start it? Does it turn and turn, or catch and then won't run?

just turns, been trying it for a while, so ive taken battery out to charge it for a bit.

So its got fuel, its got spark and its got air? That should be firing up!

Might be worth double checking the timing? and then a compression check?

im gonna have a fiddle with the ignition timing in a bit.
Is there a way of testing compression without a proper kit?
ive taken spark plug out and stuck my thumb over the plug hole and there is high pressure behind it. any other tips and tricks?

did you put the earth lead back on the gearbox side of the head?

When you find out what the problem is, please let me know. I've been trying to get my Rocco started since August, changed everything, including a new Weber carb, battery, coil, leads, plugs, distributor cap, rotor arm, ignition amplifier, cam belt, timing, fuel and checked everything else, well except for the one thing I've obviously missed. Just abandoned it in the garage now, almost given up!

you have the plugleads on the right way? or the dizzy aint 180 deg out is it?

If ur talking about mine, I've tried different combination of leads, but that was at the beginning, gonna check them again this weekend. As for the dizzy, it feels exactly like it's out 180 degrees, but I've not touched that since I took it off the road, so how could it be out. I'll beat myself up if I find I put a secret cut out switch on it 6 years ago and forgotten about it!

Could it be the hall sender on your distributor?

Get one of those cheap copy distributors for £40 from GSF and try fitting it to see what happens. At least you'll be able to rule out the distributor 100% from being the source of the fault.