[Vwdiesel] '93 EV no-start - help ??

[rbp at 4u2bu.org]

background:
just reassembled engine w/ a rebuilt cylinder head
(this is a 5-cyl 2.4L n/a Canadian diesel type-AAB engine)
she's not catching, trying to figure out why

timing:
- crank is timed to the cam so that at #1 TDC #1 cams point evenly upward and
cam locking plate slides in w/ equal feeler gauges under each end
- cam timed to the pump so that at #1 TDC, cam locked, pump is locked, dial
indicator reads 1.00 mm up from ZERO (is this correct? travel of dial indicator
is @ 2.2 mm total per cyl (varying not more than 0.025 mm at the troughs and
peaks))

fuel shut-off:
- has 12v to it

compression:
- have not tested it, but head was just rebuilt; assuming shop did it right,
should be at least as good as it was 4 wks ago when the crank bolt slipped...
??

starter:
- repacked & greased; spins fine, but batterie(s) are somewhat run down; tried
jumping it from a second vehicle; not a real fast spin, but should have been
enough to fire

fuel:
- I'm not seeing much fuel move in the return lines; pump does not seem to be
drawing much from the tank; I did nothing to the IP except remove throttle
shaft
and replace it; don't think I messed anything up (I've done this before and it
ran fine afterwards)
- I'm not smelling anything at the exhaust on cranking; this indicates to me
that either NO fuel is getting to injectors or timing is WAY off (like pump is
180° out)

is there anything else that could shut down the injection pump?


to fire, a diesel engine needs:
- adequate compression;
- correct timing;
- proper fuel delivery;
am I forgetting something?

I'm pretty sure the timing is dead-on
other 2 things should be the same as they were last time vehicle ran properly (a
month ago)

if anyone has any ideas what could be wrong (other than the head rebuild),
please let me know

BTW, when I spin the engine by hand, I hear a series of "pocking" sounds, like
tennis balls on concrete
not loud, and not on every cylinder, but maybe 3 out of 5
I am assuming this is valves closing
is this normal (for a rebuilt head), or is this why I'm sitting here not moving
(no compression)?


thanks,

Rolf