77 308 USA Model Won't start/stay running

Am hoping folks can help - my 1977 308 GTB USA Model was converted over to pertronix electrical ignition several years back as I was fouling plugs like crazy with the old breaker points. This winter I did a clutch replacement and timing belts/valve shims adjustment. Went to start it for the first time, turns over fine and tries to start but just won't have had several loud backfires and flames out of the carbs (I have the airbox off) - I believe I have the distributor rotors for bank 1-4 and 5-8 set properly as I turned the flywheel to AF-7 for bank 1-4, mounted the distributor with rotor pointing towards the red mark on dist housing which I understand is indicative of # 1 firing, and on bank 5-8 manually turned the flywheel til I got the AF-7 mark for bank 5-8 and similarly lined up the rotor with the red mark on the dist housing like I did with bank 1-4. Is this correct? The car is trying to start so I believe the flywheel/starter motor is engaging properly and the timing belts were put on exactly the positions the ones I took off were in (checked cam journal marks also - they were spot on) - any ideas? I also put new NKG BPR5ES plugs in - any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

I meant to add the Pertronix units are installed in the rear distributor cap, the 5-8 distributor is utilized just to deliver spark to that bank -

 

Steve, thanks for the reply - I have the rotors in the positions described above, I have the 2 leads from the R2 mark on Dist 1-4 going to the coil which feeds 5-8, and the other pick-up (which is on the left side of the 1-4 distributor cap is feeding the coil which feeds 1-4 bank - I drew a wiring diagram last Winter prior to removal as I would not remember otherwise - do you know if I have these 2 pick-ups backwards? The car is backfiring pretty bad and still wont start.

 

Steve, thanks - I did have the Pertronix pickups wired to the proper coils. You were right, I had the 5-8 distributor off phase, when I followed your instruction to line up Distributor 1-4 with the TDC of cylinder 1, then turn the crankshaft 90 degrees CW I saw on the flywheel the PM 5-8 along with the AF-7 mark, and lined up the rotor to the distributor red mark and the engine fired up nicely, now just timing it at 1000RPM - fortunately the prior mechanic who did the timing belts a long time ago marked these points with red paint so very easy to see with the timing strobe. Thanks again!