Tdc

ok I'm tired and I'm sure I'm missing the obvious here's the gist. I'm having trouble getting my 350 started. I put my finger over the hole at #1 until I felt compression. I lined up the mark with 0 and dropped the distributor in at #1. Went back out today and felt compression. Lined the balancer up with 0 took the distributor cap off and it was pointing to the firewall. So I reset it to 1. Went back out tonight and did the same thing again this time it was pointing back at the firewall again. How many compression strokes are there on #1? I'm assuming I'm correct as I stand now. I was turning the motor and I could feel compression. the exhaust valve opens then closes. I continue to turn it and the intake opens and closes and then I feel compression. and the distributor is pointing at #1. Someone please tell me I'm correct here. Or is there a little gremlin that's f-ing with my distributor while I sleep? If thats the case I'll have my 12 gauge waiting for him.

since I have that right, or atleast it was lastnight before I went to bed. I'm thinking I hate the preload too tight. any other reasons it won't start?

I know i'll probably get hoohawed here,( i'm only going by what you are saying),but how about checking for the loaction of the clevis pin which holds the distributor drive gear onto the shaft.
sounds silly i know,,but stranger things have happened when you've got a drive gear which is not meshed with the driven shaft.