If steam qualifies as white smoke, then yes, but only when idling in the yard. Then forms a puddle under the tailpipe. I never noticed clouds of any color while driving.

I should say now that I filled the system with water - no coolant - for this first run after the timing gears - thinking that if I porked the gear installation and needed to pull the cooling components to get back in there, at least I wouldn't be dumping yet another gallon of coolant.

Yes on the engine feeling like it was missing. I thought the timing was out.

Pulling the wires on cyl's 2 and 3 makes the most impact, then 1, then 4. 4 making the least difference (no stumble, more of a slowing in the idle). Nothing obvious on the plugs. But, if "one of these things is not like the others" then it was 4. 4 not as clean as the others.

Thanks.