help, it's been a long time since i monkeyed with the basics

for those who remember my abomination saga of the broken cam.
We have the replacement motor "assembled" (no accessories or water pump) and are attempting to fire it up. we have fuel, we have spark and we have fire out the exhaust ports. Does fire out the exhaust ports mean that my timing is too far retarded?
This is all on a plain jane 350 SBC with a "high performance" aftermarket HEI, stock everything else, no exhaust manifolds, or engine externals.
Engine is just laid in place, engine is just a long block with an intake, carb, fuel pump and dizzy.

Any suggestions GREATLY appreciated. I want this beast to run before we reassemble and rewire everything on it. OR just sell it to a scrap guy....

Double check to make sure the dizzy isn't 180 out. But yes, sounds like timing is way retarded.

IIRC 180 off pops out the intake, not exhaust. I rotated the dizzy 180 from when it was popping out the intake.

Take off the valve cover and check the distributor position. It will only take a few minutes and it's worth knowing you're in the right place.

And some fire out the exhaust ports is somewhat normal. At least until you get the tune right.

turn crank w/ breaker bar, check #1 building compression w/ finger over spark plug hole, if it starts building compression stick wooden dowel or screwdriver in hole to judge TDC, at estimated TDC check rotor to cap alignment @ #1 wire, it'll be in ballpark then +/- dizzy. JIC check wire order: 18436572

Some fire out the exhaust port is normal. Don't panic.

it's alive!
I had the dizzy off by a tooth. turned it as much as it could go originally and just got flames out the exhaust ports. pulled it up and rotated it a tooth. tweaked it a bit and got it running.
now onto reassembly of the drive train, and disassembly of the back of the truck.

In reply to internetautomart:

Congrats! Now get back to work!

yeah, monday i need to remember how all the brackets go.