I've owned my 1994 F-150 since new, and live in California with our biannual smog inspection.
Two years ago I took my truck (4.9L 6-cylinder 300hp) to a small one-man shop to be smogged. Everything passed, except he couldn't verify the timing was correct. He was looking at the marks stamped on the Engine Front Cover, driver's side, and he said the timing was WAY off, he couldn't even see the mark on the pulley. After fiddling around for awhile he finally found the Timing Pointer which was actually on the passenger's side, and there the mark on the pulley showed the timing correct.
He passed me, but now that I have to get it smogged again I looked at the engine myself. The marks on the Engine Front Cover are very visible and look to me like timing marks. The Timing Pointer on the passenger's side is very hard to see, almost hidden by the serpentine belt and doesn't look like my first choice as a place to check the timing.
What gives? Is the timing checked at the Timing Pointer on the passenger's side or at the stamped marks on the Engine Front Cover? Help!
- Fred