HELP!!!
I got my engine back together and in the truck, now it won't start. I am pretty sure the cam timing is off.
Here is what I did.
When I installed the timing chains, I looked both on here and in my book. The instructions I found everywhere said to rotate the crank until the keyway is at 12 O'clock. Then place the single dark link on the chain on the mark on the crank. Then place the double dark links on the mark on the cam gear so the mark is between the 2 dark links.
With the key at 12 O'clock it put the timing mark on the crank gear at about 7 O'clock.
I turned the engine carefully 3 or 4 revolutions by hand, with a 1/2 inch drive ratchet. No breaker bar and no cheater pipe on the ratchet. It turned good, did not bind up or have any problems so I figured it was on.
Put the engine back in and tried to start it. I get a backfire through the intake and it won't run. It will start to turn faster like it is trying to fire, but the backfire through the intake won't let it start.
So, back to the book. Now I see the keyway at 12 O'clock position is for the 2004 and newer engines. It looks like for the older engines you set the timing mark on the crank at 6 O'clock, and line the chain marks up from there.
Opinions wanted, is this my problem? Did I set it a couple of teeth advanced? Is the timing for the 1999 different than timing the 2004?
Thanks for any help!

 

It shouldnt matter what position the crank is in as long as you line the timing marks with the marks on the chain. Although it does make it easier to put the crank at the 6 oclock position for then the cams would be at 11 and 12 oclock positions IIRC

However, I do wonder if when you turned the crank you made the engine 180 deg off of the cam. In other words, if you had the engine at TDC, but it was on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke.

 

I am going to pull the timing cover and re-set the timing. I am going to set the crank with the mark at 6 O'clock, then line up the cams to the 2 colored links.
If I was 180 off wouldn't it be popping and backfiring through the exhaust instead of the intake?
I have rebuilt a lot of engines, but that was 20 years ago. This is my first time messing with an overhead cam engine!