distributor problems

i just replaced my timing belt on my vg30e, and am having a hell of a time getting the thing to start. when i put it together i had all the timing marks in the correct places (both cams and crankshaft). i have checked compression and that seems ok. my problem is with the distributor, i have a chilton service manual which seems to be part of the problem. the book tells me two different things about setting the timing. one says that the rotor should be pointing at the no1 sparkplug tereminal tower, and in bold print it then says that it should be in the eleven o clock position with a picture showing it illustrated. i have tried both over and over with no luck. any advise would be great as it is in my friends garage and he is as ready for it to get out of there as soon as i am.

thanks

set teh crank/cam so that you are on the compression stroke of the #1 cylinder then the 11oclock position will point to the #1 plug on the dist

Huh? #1 plug on the distributor never moves, so it would always be 11 o'clock no matter where the crank is. I do think that you're right, that he is not on the compression stroke. He is probably 180 degrees out on the distributor.

Huh? #1 plug on the distributor never moves, so it would always be 11 o'clock no matter where the crank is. I do think that you're right, that he is not on the compression stroke. He is probably 180 degrees out on the distributor.

i could be but im not sure if he set the timing that way to begin with, cause if he didnt even if the dist was in right he would never start the car

Done exactly the same thing last weekend. The rotor was 180 deg out:)