[BrendaAnnD]

It sounds to me like the IF chain is just seriously off frequency. In that case, you could still pick up a signal off the antenna or the 1st detector tube, but not be able to push through a signal at the IF frequency. The dial readout would be inaccurate in that case. The best thing to do in this case is to inject a modulated signal at the IF frequency into the grid of the IF amp tube, and align the second IF can for maximum signal, then back off the output of the signal generator and reconnect the signal to the grid cap of the 1st detector tube and adjust the 1st IF can for maximum, backing off the signal generator to the point that what you hear is a tone with some noise in it. Then go back to the 2nd IF and realign that for max, then the 1st again.

After that is finished, you will likely have to align the tuner local oscillator and antenna trimmers to make it track properly.