Did you check the oil pan oil lines with a target tool, or at least shoot some water through to see if all of the lines spray at about the same spot on the side of the pan?
Use lots of assembly oil...these motors don't make lots of oil pressure and extra assembly oil is cheap and will help on start up.
Prime the oil system with a drill before installing the distributer.
Make sure the oil line passing through the middle of the block is tightened up before you put the side cover on. This fitting will leak water if not tight.
Make sure the oil drip nozzle for the cam gears is not clogged up.
DO NOT USE STARTING FLUID to start the engine, it wipes all of the oil off of the cylinder walls.
Make sure you have a fully charged battery, the starter can pull the battery down to where there isn't enough left to make a spark. Might be better to hook 6v to the coil and put 12v on just the starter to start it for the first time.
I would start the engine with the wiper vacuum line plugged. You don't need a vacuum leak in the wiper motor messing with your head while your in the middle of your first start.
Put ZDDP in the oil to protect the cam.
Don't run it without a thermostat, it will over heat!
Put a box fan in front of the radiator during break in to help keep it from overheating.
That's all I can think about now...
Good luck!
Mike B
