Timing problem after BHG replacement

[JRinboise]

SOS! I have hit a wall and don't know what to try next. So I thought I would put it to the masses and see what sage advice I get back.
Here's the deal, I changed out the head gasket on my 88 NA had the head checked, cleaned and resurfaced, then got everything back together. I have made sure that the #1 piston is at TDC and the cams are matched. When I start it up it runs very rough and the timing is off and I cant get it inside the timing range.
With a timing light and the jumper wire in place the timing mark on the pulley is after 0 (TDC) and wouldn't adjust back into the timing range so I the adjusted the distributor back a notch.
Then the timing mark was at about 25-30 deg BTDC and would not adjust forward into the timing range. I checked that the timing belt was on the pulleys
properly and that it wasn't jumping a tooth, didn't see any problems. I double checked that the crank pulley timing mark was at 0/TDC for piston #1, cams were matched and the distributor back at position 1 and tried again, same problem.
The only thing I can come up with is, that the guy that did the head work put the cam gear/pulley on wrong after polishing some of the journals. I have done this kind of job before and didn't have a problem, just put it together, fired it up, set the timing and away I went. Not this time. I can't see the forest for the trees anymore and don't know what I'm not seeing. Any ideas??
Thanks JR

 

[SUPRAHUMAN]

I'm pretty sure U want to make sure the cam gears timing notch are both pointing strait up when crank pulley is at tdc. If not u might have to reinstall the cams.

 

[suprasick]

Pics of your setup would be helpful.... ie cams with belt on , distributor line up etc

 

[JRinboise]

Finally got it fixed! I found out that the problem was loss of compression in the #5 cylinder due to one of the intake valves staying open. The only thing can figure is that the machine shop mixed up the lifters and shims when they cleaned and resurfaced the head. Once I was able to get the clearances in spec, it fired up and I was able to get the timing dialed in. The lesson here is, it's a good idea to check valve clearances before reinstalling the head. It's a lot easier to make adjustments on a bench. You may be using a good machine shop but it's always possible that someone screwed up.