starter not engaging after motor swap

put a 01 vic engine in, thinking it was pi when purchased. unfortunately it is nonpi but kept it anyways, now the car started and ran fine for having a serious knocking sound, i went ahead put the 01 vic engine in swapping alot of stuff, timing cover, pi intake, ac compressor, and flywheel, and small things here there. i plugged all my sensors back in, and put everything where it was when i started. except for this grounding strap that was located on the driver side block, which is a red strap. i have no flippin idea where the other end goes to. the red strap mounted to the block also had a black wire mounted w/ it. this strap couldn't keep my shatstang from starting could it? i put a new starter in it because it wasn't engaging (hitting flywheel or turning over the motor, but the new one is doing the same thing. i am at a loss right now, could the flywheel be culprit here? if i take the trans out, how will i know if the flywheel and crank is at correct alignment? all the bolts lined up just fine when i put the flywheel on, but i didn't stop to think the flywheel was to be at a certain point or alignment. but hopefully u guys have an explanation that will save me from pulling out the trans. plz help i about to just junk it, that's how tired of this lemon i am. and sorry about the novel.

so nobody has an idea? Hmm.... I thought you guys were supposed to be good too. lol.. Well if anyone has a idea, just let me know.

i can tell its nonpi, by lookin at the ports on the heads. got the starter to engage, but frickn thing won't fire. i am getting spark when i pulled out plug 5, and motor is turning over. but it sounds horrid. i'm getting fuel as well, you can hear the pump, and i pushed the nipple on the fuel rail too. also do u know where the ground strap may go? do you have an explanation why it sounds horrible, and not starting? fuses aren't blown, everything but the g strap has been hooked back up.

but the grounding strap wouldn't keep the engine from startin would it? and the engine i got turned out to be 00 vic, i knew they gave me the wrong engine. so now i have to wait a week or so to get the PI engine i wanted. which sucks because i have to go through and swap everything again. Hey SQUEAK! what did you have to swap on to PI MOTOR pretty much everything again? timing cover, ac comp., flywheel, throttle body? GOD IM dreading this... but if i can get this 00 vic to start i am just goin to say piss on the pi. i just want a running vehicle, performance is not important anymore. just tired and broke, lol... or broke and tired....