Latest update:
I pulled the timing cover and after a few false starts thinking that the gear set was marked wrong. I discovered the problem.
Even though the marks lined up perfectly at 12 and 6 o'clock positions and 12 and 12 o'clock positions when rotated through the cycle, I noticed that when either position was set, and I slid the balancer back on, the TDC mark on the balancer was in the 7 o'clock position for either the #1 or #6 cylinder firing position.
And when I moved the balancer to the TDC position this is what the gears looked like:
I know what you're thinking: [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img] Nope, the balancer didn't spin on its hub.
I took me an hour of comparing old gears and new and then going back to my old trusty manual....
Turns out that I installed the lower sprocket when the crankshaft keyway was in the 10 o'clock position. That's about 4 hours too early. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]
The crank sprocket should be installed when the keyway is in the 2 o'clock position, other the cam is waaaaay out of time and the #1 piston is about an inch below TDC.
DOH!
Back to garage to put things back together....again.
Sometimes when things go together too easily - it means you must have done something wrong.
Hey, come to think of it, I believe the wife put that sprocket on. Yeah, That's gotta be it.