The manual does contradict itself in several places - personally, I would agree with your friends.

 

Many thanks for your prompt reply!

In deed! So follow that page (6A2-76) the order would be No.1 it's ok...but what about No.2 follow No.1 or is in the other side (right side). This is crazy.

 

No need to fret, look at the engine and the cylinder closest to the front (crank pulley) is #1...

 

In a nutshell, the cylinders are counted from front to rear, which is why your friends are telling you #1 is on the left, because it's closes to the front - #2 is the next closest, which on a V engine is on the opposite bank, and so on.

 

unless you own a Ford V8, why did they decide to number the cylinders sequentially down one bank, then the other?

 

Random thought here. So - on the H25a - the #1 timing adjuster is on bank #2 of the engine?

 

I would say the #1 adjuster/tensioner is on the block, on the perhaps "main" timing chain, each cylinder bank has it's own smaller timing chain with it's own adjuster/tensioner

I also don't think the adjuster sequence number is in any way related to the cylinder bank or cylinder numbering - the J20a four cylinder has two chains, two adjuster/tensioners and only one bank of cylinders, numbered 1~4, from front to rear.