I check timing twice mate today and done atleast two full revs of the engine by hand, first time was a tooth out so removed and started again and was spot on, the guy who refitted it had the exhaust cam on wrong so i cant help thinking its ruined the valves and pistons.

If it was 180degrees out it should be okay, that was a rookie mistake I made when I was an apprentice and all was fine after it was re alligned, you can set up exhaust as inlet and inlet as exhaust and it will start actually, id say likely hood though is the lifters may have been mixed holding valves open causing the low compression,

As you've checked and rechecked the timing and are happy that it's good, I'd try tow starting it before paying anyone 1000 euros.

Cool cheers for the advice guys,im hoping it is just the lifters as it was a brand new head that was fitted so i can only assume theyre all dry and waiting for the oil pump to feed them oil. Il update the thread tomoz to see how i got on as time is so tight because im driving back to uk to north wales tomoz.

Tried the bump starting and no luck.it was spluttering but still nothing.so it looks like its going to the mg heaven like every other one :(

is the guy who did the job not taking any responsibility

regards timing, you need to alighn up exhaust and inlet on the camshafts like this

INLET- -EXHAUST

but if you remove the cam pulley bolts there are 2 positions the cam pulley can be put on the camshaft too, it says IN for inlet and EX for exhaust

They were on the wrong way around mate when he tried firing it and bumping it,thats when i took it all apart and found they were out cheers for the help though

shame its stuck abroad, it would take under 2 hours to take it apart see whats what

True mate, its a right pain in the arse