Ok i have done it often enough!

1. losen the nut on the pump shaft (just so the engine stops turning)
2. what i did is stick a thin screwdriver into the pump timing pin hole, let it the screwdriver in there, hanging down.
3 turn the engine clockwise, until the screwdriver moves up (thats when the flat pin inside the pump hits it!) take it, out and the pin is aligned with the hole!
4. loosen the nut on the pump shaft, and pull the gear!
5 Now turn the engine and have someone pressing against the engine TDC timing pin! till it flips in!
6. pull out the pin, pull out the screwdriver out of the pump!
7. clean the pump shaft, and tighten the nut.
PS: i always advance timing just a bit from TDC, before tightening, cuz its a a little too retarded. but the truck starts with both pins aligned!

Its just how i do it and have had succes with.

BTW, where did you get a pump and how much did you pay?

 

use 12valves method & she'll be purring like a kitten, I'd also recomend when you tighten the pump gear back, take a socket that slips over top of the pump nut ( a couple sizes bigger than the nut) & then take about a 5lb. hammer & give the socket a couple good slugs & it'll help seat the gear on the taper & make it less likely to slip, my 97' slipped 3 times after a timing cover change, I cleaned & cleaned & tightened the heck outta the nut & it still slipped 3 times!!!!!!! finally tried seating it on the taper a bit better with the hammer & socket &it's still doin' fine today, good luck & let us know how it turns out, Dusty

 

Its ALIVE!! well again It seems to run great, there is some "greyish" smoke if I rev it up while in the driveway, none at idle though. I followed the above directions but I did it with the pins alligned as I wasnt sure the proper direction or amount, to advance it a bit. Seemed to go well but without pulling the IP again i wasnt able to clean the contact area, so I will just take it easy and retourque it every day for a couple days to be safe. Overall it was VERY easy though, thanks again guys! Especially "12valve" who has helped me many times with my pump issues!

Zack

 

At the elevation where i live, pins aligned=retarded! and it blows gray, blue or white smoke when reving up empty, its a bit retarded! if you wanna advance a little bit advance it 1/4" on the outside end of the front low engine pulley. but first i'd check the overflow valve!

it should rev up fast and no missing on empty!

if you have no idle smoke, id say you are close to stock! maybe leave it till you have timing tools! too much advanced and/or retarded both smoke at idle

 

There is no smoke at idle, a greyish when revving in the driveway. and Black when I get on it. There does seem to be a small stumble/miss spot at certain rpms...The idle seems just a tad rougher. I do not plan on buying the tools so I would love to bring it up just a bit and get it right. I am at sea level by the way. i think i will give it a shot and if it doesnt seem perfect I'll just pay MassDiesel the $200 to do it for me...

So find TDC on the pump and engine, and advance the engine clockwise 1/4", measured on the lower engine pulley?

Overall its pretty **** good, I just want to get it great again! P.S. it's going up for sale

Thanks,
Zack