New engine help!!!!

So I recently installed a rebuilt 0 mile engine into my 1994 ford ranger 2.3 liter and I started it up for the first time and it has a valve tick in it. I am hoping it is a temporary thing however I went onto my first drive only to find the truck stalled out 50 feet from driving it. I immediately tried starting the engine back up and the starter cycled and I had 0 compression in all of the cylinders. I tried again a minute later and the started sounded it had compression in all of the cylinders but one. I waited another minute later and all 4 cylinders had compression in them and it wouldn't start. I did a clear flood crank and it started for a second then died. then recycled the key and it started now it sitting and idling with a valve tick have you guys had any experience with this?
am I suppose to wait till the engine reaches operating temperature?

No compression? Are you sure? If yes, it's not an electrical Problem you know what i want to say, then i guess you have a bad overhauled engine installed..i don't hope this for you!

Other ideas, but not realistic i think: clogged up exhaust System or stuck closed idle air valve suddenly. But i don't think so.
Maybe other Ideas?

BR Matthias

did you oil prime the system, by cranking it until oil was flowing to the top of the mota? I made a tool out of an old distributor shaft and hooked it to a drill to prime my 350 after a head job.
u need to see if u got oil to the top of the motor., u could have some sticky lifters, unprimed lifters not pushing oil up, causing the noise, valves sticking open causing sometimes no compression,..
we need ALOT more info abt what was done to prep the engine to run.. you dont just stick it in and drive off like it was all ready to go.

the motor was turned over with the valve covers off and all the sparkplugs where out. I cycled the engine until I saw oil coming out of the cam oil holes I'm using royal purple break-in oil. after 5 minutes of running I would slowly raise the RPM and it takes a minute for it to idle

To me that sounds a lot like valves sticking as was stated above. I have come across heads that have had new valve guides installed and the valves not having the correct clearance causing them to stick when the head starts to get warm. It would not really explain your valve tick but it would explain having compression cold and losing it hot.

I had a dodge a few years back that had a bad valve spring. it was similar issue where it would be fine cold then after it ran for a little it would develop a misfire. The dealership had already put a number of parts into it. What was happening was as it ran with the low valve spring pressure it was over filling the lifter and causing the valve to hang open. I can't imagine an issue like that on every cylinder like in your case though.

The symptoms happen both cold and hot. What do you suggest? Should I pull the heads and send it to the machine shop or should I just keep driving it and hope it wears it in?

If you have access to a cylinder leakage tester you could do a leakdown test with the engine warm. You will always get some leakage but it should be around 20 percent or less and the more important information is were the leakage is coming from. If you have a stuck valve you will hear the air rushing either up through the intake or out the exhaust. Sometimes this can be a more accurate way of finding a cylinder leak than a compression test. You can also open the cylinder oil cap and see see if you are getting leakage into the crankcase which would point to rings. Just note you will always get some leakage into the crankcase but it shouldn't be excessive. If you don't have a leakdown tester this test can also be done by putting the cylinder on TDC and attaching an air hose through the spark plug hole.