3.1 Chevy V-6 M motor..........

I changed the head gaskets on my 99 Malibu. I had the heads checked and were resurfaced. I changed the plugs, wires put it back together and now it won't start. It sounds like the engine is out of time. I have checked the plug wires and all are correct according to the chilton manual. checked the pushrods, checked compression and only have compression in 2 cylinders # 3 and # 5. The car ran great before. What's the deal????

Where are your valves when the pistons go to Top Dead Center? You know the sequence from *the book,* so where are the valves for each cylinder when it is supposed to fire?

Check this with the valve covers off, engine off. Turn the crankshaft with some mother of a wrench. Sounds like your timing relative to the crankshaft is incorrect.

Lg

I can't change the timing, the car doesn't have a distributor. the crank, cam and pistons never moved from the time it was taken apart till the time it was all back together.

Then you must have leaks at the head gasket.

Try backing off the lash on the valvetrain. Sounds like you did what I did on my race car when adjusting lash - the valves are all hanging open. Or like Lawrence said, you gotta bad leak at the head gasket.

Are you sure you've got the plugs back on the right cylinders and coils and in the right order?

Check for spark? Check for fuel? Maybe you've got something disconnected that's giving the computer a big "negative" on the firing.

Dumb question, but WHY did you change the head gaskets in the first place? What was broken?

Ray

Since you "checked the pushrods" you must know that they are different lengths and that swapping them will bend valves. That leaves valve lash. 1.5 turns past zero lash.

You do realize the intake and exhaust pushrods are different lengths? Bob