1998 Ford 4.2 timing

Bought a long block for my 1998 F150 with a 4.2
New block is set with what I tkink is #1 at TDC and marks are lined up on cam and crank from the rebuilder.
I have rebuilt several motors in the past but have never been this deep into the newer motors with fuel injection and with out a distribtor.

I got the old motor down to the timing chain cover. Oil pump is off but shaft is still in cover. Water pump is off. Balancer is off crank.

Can someone give me some detailed instructions on how to proceed from here and deal with the camshaft ignition sensor so I can get it timed to the new motor.

Should I take the sensor out before removing the cover??
What about the oil pump shaft??
Once I get it off and the cover on the new motor how do I time it.

Thanks

you have to have the special tool to align the camshaft position sensor with the engine at TDC. If you know anybody at a Ford dealer they might let you borrow it, check with parts house, they may have one.

Pretty sure Autozone and O'Reilly has this little gizmo. It looks like a smiley face. Ford house has these also, but they're very proud of them. If you know of somebody who has an identical truck like yours, you can take the sensor cap off and eyeball it close enough to call it good.
You can also search this on YouTube and somebody probably has done one to give you an example.

Here is what you need to do.

Got to just about any parts store and rent a timing kit. They only cost about 25 bucks, but hopefully you will not need it again.

There are 4 or 5 different color alignment tools. They are nothing but a cap like tool that fits in place of the sensor to align the metal tab. The only problem you may run into to is if you need the yellow or gray one. The difference between the yellow and gray is 180 deg. I know this is the case for a 1997. If it is one of the others I do not think it will be an issue per-say as they have different size slots for the different size tabs.

In either case, if you have not have not pulled the old drive out of the old engine, slip the balancer back on and line up the crank shaft timing marks for #1 TDC (firing stroke) and see which cap fits it. If in fact you need the yellow or gray, and both the yellow and gray will fit, one will have the arrow pointing the wrong way. Just use the right one. From there pull the camshaft drive (comes out just like a dist does) and proceed to remove the timing cover.

Another lesson learned is to pay attention to the lower intake gaskets. There are like three different gaskets based on just which head you have. I just happen to notice that the ones I got on the first go around had the seal right on the edge of the water jacket. I had to go hunt up the right ones. In 1998 they change to a larger water port on the heads. If your gasket is for the smaller ports it will barely cover one side of the port. Everything else on the head is the same between them.

Called 4 differant parts stores this morning. None have the tool one even said they can not get it.
So been doing some reading and looked at a few youtube vidoes. One video showed how to do this without the tool by marking lines on the piece so you can get it back right where it was before.

Think I am going to try it this way. Wish me luck.