I set up the motor at TDC on the compression stroke (could feel air be forced out of the spark plug hole). Put the distributor in with the rotor over the #1 wire. Tried to start it and it sounded like it would start and then died almost instantly. No luck. Should I try advancing the distributor a tooth foward or back? What else should I check?

1987 4-Runner with a "slightly modified" 22RE