Okay all...

Changed the head gaskets...

Got the Distributer in correctly and the timing done.

The car was running long enough to get the timning adjusted but now it runs and dies a few seconds after running.

I can press the gas down, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

Also there is a popping or pinging sound coming from what sounds like the air intake hose. (when it was actually running) I could actually feel it when I put my hands where the air filters are. Is the car backfiring from the intake? It seems to do it at regular intervals, but I am not quite sure since I cannot get the car running again.

There is also a light white smoke coming off the engine (again when the car was running). Is this oil burning? It seems to be coming from the rear of the block, near the exhaust manifolds, but that is just where the smoke seems to be coming up from.

Also strangely, now that the car starts then dies, it seems that my tach has started working again. It registers the rpms before the car cuts out. When the car was running without dieing, during our timing adjustment, the guage was just stuck all the way up.

The oil pressure guage still just kinda does nothing or hops slightly. Is there a way to check oil pressure without this guage to make sure the pump is actually working?

BTW I was getting a code 44, TomP said check the o2 sensor, but now the code is gone after the distributer was adjusted and timing set properly.

I also checked all the fuses for the guages not working, but all the fuses are good. Still no truck lid motor or oil pressure guage, but the tach seems to be registering now...

I think I just have gremlins....

 

check grounds. (dash probs)
(engine) sounds like engine backfiring. mark where the distributor is, then move the distributor to retard the timing, see if it helps any. could be a tooth off or something.

 

Chances are the timing is still off a little. When you were setting the timing, emissions changed as well. That is probably why the code 44 disappeared. All of the dirt/cleaner/chemicals are probably what's causing the smoke. After about an hour or two it should be all cooked off