Wont start after head gasket replacement

So, after my joys with buying an overheating hijet, and then replacing the head gasket, and re-doing the coolant system, she won't start...

I made sure the timing belt was put back to where the marks I made were, checked for a spark, checked that fuel is pumping in, but still nothing.

Any ideas? she's a 1998 1300 EFI.

On another note, she needs a new coolant pipe for the piece between the filler and the head, underneath the passenger's seat, but they are incredibly expensive to buy. Has anyone found any ingenious way of getting something to bend around at that horrible angle? Would having this pipe disconnected, and the system not full of coolant stop it from starting? (I was only going to see if it all fired up, and wasn't going to let it run for more than 10 seconds without coolant in it).

Any help would be appreciated, and feel free to shoot me down if I'm being an idiot, I don't know what I'm talking about!

After a few more nights work, she still isn't starting...

I've checked that the 'F' is at the top, on the head pulley, and the drilled mark is at the indicator on the bottom pulley. I've reused the cam belt, as it had only done about 100 miles, and so there was no 'mating marks' on the belt, as mentioned in the manual...

There doesn't seem to be much air draw in the intake either...

Only thing I can think of is that there is something wrong with the cam sensor? or that I've f**cked the entire thing up...

If there is no vacuum present then you have the cam timing wrong.

double checked, and the marks do all line up like the diagram, there is a small vacuum, just not as much as I'd expected (but then i don't know how much to expect!)

Does the 1300 have cps or a dizzy like the 993 efi if like the 993 check it's aligned correctly.

Mine is a twin coil pack version, so no dizzy to deal with!

Turned out that I have 16 bent valves. Fun for me. Cheers for the help though

16 bent valves has to be caused by something.

Yupp, you were right, first time I had the timing out. I took off the cambelt and did it properly, but the damage was already done...

So, new engine time for me... If you have any tips on swapping engines, I'm all ears!

I'd just take the head off in situe, then get the head redone. Valves are cheap.

I've got the head off, sitting in the back of the van. Where do you get your heads redone then?

I couldn't find valves for that cheap either, I reckoned it would have cost about the same as buying a new engine (that and I'm no mechanic).

At least now I'll have spares...

Valves will be about £8 each at a guess. Not all of them will be bent.

I use a local guy in a unit, who is now really good with Daihatsu heads as I've taken him about 30 over the last 6 years!

But he doesn't do main order etc.

Expect to pay about £70 for labour at an engine machining place to do the valve job. Plus like £50 to get it skimmed.

Amazing, thanks HJ! Nah you're right, I was exaggerating when I said 16 bent valves, but it's still the majority unfortunately.

I'll ring around some local places then.