Shes alive an shes stayin alive!!

Bent valves huh? Hmmmm, I could say I told you so too, but that wouldn't make any difference now would it?

When you get it back together again... BEFORE YOU EVER HOOK UP THE BATTERY... turn the motor over a few times by hand. Preferably with the valve covers off so you can actually see the valves opening and closing. It would help to remove all the spark plugs. Make sure there is nothing binding.

Also, all the cranking you've done the last few weeks has most asuredly wiped away any moly lube you had on that brand new cam and lifters. If I were you, I would pull that cam and inspect it for scratches or scoring. Same goes for the lifters, but make sure you put them all back (with new moly lube) in the same bore they came out of.

If you didn't already know, the first 20-30 minutes the engine runs after a cam/lifter change is a CRITICAL time. This is when the lifters and cam break themselves in and start to establish a wear pattern. In an ideal situation following a cam change, the engine should fire up IMMEDIATELY and you should QUICKLY get the rpms up in the 2200-2800 range. You run it in this range varrying the rpm continuously for AT LEAST 20 minutes. Failure to do this WILL result in a cam with wiped lobes.

PLEASE learn from your previous mistakes. You obviously did not assemble things correctly last time, and you did not go back to verify your work. NEVER NEVER NEVER try to start an engine you've worked on unless you go over EVERY little detail to make sure you did the work right.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm raggin' on you man, that's not my intention. You are obviously into cars and like to do your own work. I commend you for that. But you have to realize there is more to it than just turning a wrench. I'm no mechanic by any means, and I have learned a few expensive leasons of my own. So I'm just trying to pass on my experiences and maybe it will help you out. Okay, lecture over.