I have a 2004 ranger with the 3.0L I. ItI had a blown head gasket fixed that the. It would turn over fine just wouldn't crank Up So my buddy who is a mechanic said it's the timing.
my reply was I didn't touch anything to do with the timing he said ITS THE TIMING! SO I've got it torn apart down to the timing chain .​​​​​​he also said to get the #1 cylinder top dead center and check the timing marks.Only marks I have seen is on the top pulley there is a dot.
On the bottom pulley the keyway that's on the motor shaft has a mark center of itNow on the right hand side of the bottom shaft pulley at 3:00 o'clock there is a dash in the engine block that is there to mark Something. Anyway my buddy said that when the #1 is top dead center that keyway should be at 12:00 o'clock but it's at 6:00 o'clock and the top pulley,s dot is at 9:00 So for those of you that are keeping score that is 3:00,6:00 and 9:00 o'clock
what is up?
What dots dashes or marks need to be where?
Please someone with lots of knowledge about this subject help me because I'm just a dumb ole electricians
Oh yeah I did a compression test it was #1-60psi
#2-90psi
#3-60psi
#4-60psi
#5-90psi
#6-60psi

 

There is a dot on the cam gear, it can be rotated to 12:00 or 6:00 doesn't matter, but must be one or the other to start off
Crank gear must have key way at 12:00, when cam gear is at 12:00 or 6:00
And you are done

Now rotate the crank one full turn, cam gear will now be at 12:00 or 6:00 again but opposite of what it was before, that's why starting at 12:00 or 6:00 for cam gear doesn't matter
Cam turns at 1/2 the rotation of crank because its a 4-stroke engine

There is no 3:00 or 9:00 timing

Cam gear can have Makers Marks stamped in, but there will ALWAYS be a timing dot, usually aligned with cam's key way or opposite the key way

This applies to all V6 or V8 OHV engines

Here is a diagram:https://www.fixya.com/uploads/images/26e6ce2.gif

You can see the key ways in the drawing if you can't see the dots

 

So I don't need to worry about the #1 piston being top dead center
just if the keyway and the dot line up it's good

 

Well what is the deal with the compression on the motorOr better yet why won't it start upI've checked the spark and fuel they are both good

 

Crank shaft key way at 12:00 means #1 and #5 pistons are both at TDC, which is what you want when you set cam gear's mark at 12:00 or 6:00

Did you test both the heads when you replaced the head gaskets?
For burnt exhaust valves

The 3.0l Vulcan engine was never known to have timing chain issues
It is known for burning exhaust valves


Maybe some history would help
How long have you had this Ranger?
Was it ever over heated while you had it?
Why did you think a head gasket was "blown"?


From what I have read Compression testers need a special end for the spark plug holes on the 3.0ls or they leak and show low numbers
I have an older tester kit with an end that works, but the end I use on most engines can't quite get a good seal on the few 3.0ls I have tested

 

I took the dip stick and pushed it in #1 spark plugs hole and when the piston was all the way up the keyway was at 6:00
my buddy was blown away when I told him cause the water was getting out of the radiator and I had not seen a leak any where
.I've had the truck almost a year and it over heated with me once.
started running ragged so I changed the ignition coil,wire,injectors,plugs and tested the fuel pressure then on the way to work it just quit waited about 20 minutes cranked it back up ran fine for about 6 miles the lost power cut itself off and wouldn't crank back up

 

#1 on a Ford, is passenger side front cylinder, # 4 is drivers side front

Crank key way couldn't be at 6:00 and #1 at the top on a stock 3.0l crank, it should be at the very bottom, BDC

But if that's what what you have then put the crank at 6:00 and the cam mark at 12:00 or 6:00 and you are good

 

@RonD beat me to it.

Number 1 cylinder on a Ford is the front passenger side.
3 6
2 5
1 4

 

So you are saying that with the #1 cylinder all the way up and the key at 6:00 and dot on the top sprocker at 12:00 or 6:00 the timing is correct
and one other thing is the chain is loose enough that I can move the key way a 1/4" left or right with actually moving the motor basically it has that much play in it
Is that normal?

 

With #1 piston at the top Crank shaft key way should be at 12:00, at 6:00 #1 is all the way down

If crank shaft gear has a mark(dot) then use it instead of the key way, check both sides of the gear for a mark
If no mark on the crank gear then key way needs to be at 12:00 and that means #1 is at TDC

Ford engines tend to use the key way for crank gear, no mark, like this: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...e1f361c8ec.jpg

Chevys often use timing mark, like this: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1531597694
So key way is off set

But never came across crank key way at 6:00 for #1 TDC