I would pull the valve cover as well so you can check valve action. I would pull the spark plug wires (after you establish that you get good spark and get your dizzy right), and then crank over and make sure everything is lubed and moving well. My slant decided to do exactly what yours is, and the problem was that crap from the fuel tank caused my valves to varnish, eventually sticking them to the point that the pushrod bent trying to put force on the rocker arm that was trying to push that stuck old valve.

Eventually I was running on 3 cylinders, and she was doing exactly what you say yours is. I did the crazy 180 degree dizzy flip and triple checked my timing and electrical, and decided to just pull the whole dang motor.

Good luck! Keep trying

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The only way you can ever really break something beyond repair is to give up trying to fix it.

Thanks guys! Yesterday, a local Mopar expert was kind enough to come out to look at it and give his opinion.

It looks like the camshaft is way off...like 180 degrees? Going to try to get that retimed and try it again, hopefully this time it works.

I'm going to keep fighting on!

Errr... Having the cam 180 degrees "off" is the same as "spot-on" with a SL6... all the "checking events" just happens on cylinder #6, instead of #1.
DD

Doc, so you would simply insert the dist. so that #6 was the cylinder that fired when the timing mark was near TDC?

I was wonder how it ran at all as he said it did when he first got it. Rereading his first post it almost sounds like it's not 180 out but some degrees out

I thought that if the cam is off by 180 degrees it would be off by 90 degrees on the crank shaft as there is a 2:1 ratio to the cam/crank.

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50 chrysler,54 Plymouth, 64 Valiant conv 4 speed, 66 Valiant V8 wagon, 70 Challenger R/T 440+6 conv 4 speed,80 Colt, 98 Neon ACR,84 Honda V45 Magna
Taking care of 57 300C conv,48 T&C conv. Missing my 67 GTX and 36 Ply coupe

Yes... but just find TDC compression on #1 and set the firing order from there.
2 to 1, crank turns to a single cam turn.
DD

Hmm, I really am quite a novice when it comes to this thing, so I assume that where he has got the engine at now is on the compression stroke on #1.
Piston is TDC, tested by sticking plastic rod into the engine to check. Both valves are closed on #1. (compression stroke)

Great news, it is now running really good!

Summary of it all-lined up the timing marks on the timing gears. Pretty sure I was one tooth off which made it run so terrible. Made sure #1 was TDC on compression stroke. Double checked the valve clearance. Distributor points were worn through the little plastic piece that rides along on distributor cam. Replaced and made sure to lube them with the special grease you're supposed to use.

Now the real trick came in sitting the distributor timing. When I had everything lined up for the timing chain, put the rotor by #1 post. However it took some adjusting to get it going-had to have a helper on the floor manipulating the distributor as I tried to start it. Once started, took a bit of playing to get it running right. At the end of the adjustment had to pull the distributor and move it forward/back a tooth a try again.

Now I got a vacuum leak (worn throttle shaft in carb) which may have made it so touchy for dist. timing. But once set just right it made a huge difference in how it runs!

This is so cool that it can idle without dying and has much more power!

Thanks so much for all the help and ideas!!!