Can't get my CAT started

Sorry to keep flooding the board with new threads, I figure it might be less confusing to start up a new thread rather than drag the other old ones out to eternity.

I'm trying to get a mechanical 4CK Cat 3406B diesel started for the first time after an in-frame rebuild and am having trouble. The engine will crank but it won't fire, we did shoot some ether into the intake and the engine runs but stalls out after a second or two. Before the engine went back together the timing was properly set on the gear train and when the fuel pump rack went on the timing was set(timing pin installed in fuel pump, engine set and locked at #1TDC) so to the best of my knowledge the timing is correct.

When it all went back together the fuel filters were filled with diesel and installed then the system was primed using the primer pump until there was so much resistance on the pump handle that it couldn't move anymore. The thing I don't get is that after the engine is cranked over there is no pressure loss at the primer handle. In the past every time I've needed to use the primer pump there's an immediate pressure loss after the engine is cranked and you're able to pump on the primer a few more times, that's not happening now.

Thinking there was air in the lines I cracked the fuel lines one by one at the cylinder head and had somebody else crank the motor. When the motor is cranked fuel spurts out of the line at a high pressure when the pump 'fires' the injector, so it doesn't look like there's any air atleast between the pump and where the fuel lines enter the cylinder head. Then again the fuel is only spurting out for a split second as the pump 'fires' the injector.

Any ideas on what the problem might be? I don't really know too much about diesels but everything I've seen and tried is leading me to think it's a fuel issue. The engine cranks over no problem but doesn't show the slightest hint of sputtering or firing on diesel fuel. Don't know if it matters or not but as the engine cranks the turbine for the turbo spins and there is a little bit of smoke wafting out of the stacks on the truck. So, maybe it's firing a little bit? The injectors are 'new' remanned units

Thanks for the help! I'm completely out of ideas.

 

Will give that a try first thing in the morning, thank you!

 

Double checked all of the wiring and it is hooked up the same way that it was before we tore it down. The voltage at the fuel solenoid is the same as the full battery voltage, 13.8V.

I pulled the valve covers off and cracked the lines at the injectors then had somebody watch while I cranked the motor over. As the engine cranked over there was fuel spurting out in sequence so there is fuel getting to the injectors. Also had somebody pump on the primer while I cranked with no luck. Haven't torn the primer apart yet to check the check valves, will put that on the to do list.

Somebody suggested that the timing advance on the fuel pump clutch needed to be preloaded or preset along with the pin timing method, the books don't mention anything about this. Any ideas?

Thanks again for the help!