Couple questions:

I don't have the heads with me to check so I'm using my MK4 as a reference but it appears the relief for the intake valve in the piston is towards the rear on the 1/3/5/7 side and towards the front of the engine on the 2/4/6/8 side. Can someone confirm for me that is the case on the gen 6 as well??

Second - my connecting rods don't appear to have a chamfer on either side. Can anyone confirm that is the case with stock 502 rods?

As I said before, I've got plenty of more dumb questions to go....

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/16/16A3R2.PDF

This says towards the center of the motor which jives with the way my mk4 is assembled

You have the intake exhaust layout correct.

Exhaust is the first valve on number 1

Put a bearing in the rod and then see what you got...

And the exhaust doesn't need the relief which would put the relief towards the rear on 1 - am I thinking that through correctly!?!?!?!?

Yes.

If you install a rod bearing in the rod you should be able to tell which end has the larger chamfer. Big chamfer goes towards crank. Small goes towards rod.

Okay. Let me do that and see if I notice any difference

seafordguy,please don,t take this wrong but are you sure you want to start out on a bbc marine engine?i recommend you get a few books on engine building before you go any farther,you can learn a lot from them.

Not taken wrong mike. I am following a couple books and read front to back a couple times before starting and taking it real slow. That's why all the questions. Just going to need some support from you guys along the way......

ok,i understand and you will get plenty of help here.