van not starting and backfiring

Needing help - Threads on manifold studs were worn and wouldn,t allow manifold to nip up tight enough to seal manifold to head. Just replace manifold studs on head after two breaking two trying to get them out so head came off. In process notice face of manifold badly worn /pitted and slightly different level between inlet and outlet faces so had face skimmed so that all all faces were smooth and on same level. All refitted but now van won,t start at all and backfiring. Two questions;1st one really stupid. When replacing head put new head gasket on but stupidy put it on wrong way round with hole or water chanel at front than where it should have been at back. I assume I need to refit new head gasket again ? 2nd One - Im assuming that slightly different level on inlet /outlet faces shoudnt have been there and skiming flat was the right thing to do? Having taken it all apart again it seems to look like along the bottom edge of the two center ports that the manifold gasket wasn,t as tight against both faces as elsewhere( the texture imprint of the gasket isn't evident there) Could this be my problem where air is getting drawn in and I'm being too nervous about tightening them up properly( and breaking new studs in head again !) , although I thought they were nipped up pretty tightly ?

Any help appreciated
 
Hi Colin and welcome to the Madhouse :)
It sounds like you have made all the right moves, except for the head gasket which will need replacing again I'm afraid. It's good that the gasket faces are now flat but check the back face where the nuts tighten onto it, is there a slight step where the two halves could be tightening down unevenly? I'm assuming you're running a standard Zenith set up so also check the gaskets where they fits to the manifold and the vacuum pipe connections to the dissy.
All this could be distracting you from another problem of course so make sure you haven't disturbed anything else like the wiring on the dissy and also check you have the plug leads on in the right firing order 1,3,4,2.
Good luck - we would love to hear more about your van and some pics would be great:)
 
New head gasket fitted(right way round this time!)- manifild gasket fitted and nipped up tight. Van started on button first time - switched it off and then wouldnt start for two days - not even pretending to try and catch. After much persistent persuading and encouraging eventually trying to start in on 3 cyclinders( which worked!) van now running quiet and smooth( on 4 cylinders!).Thanks for assistance.
 
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