Head removal

[zzion]

I'm replacing the head on my g54b 2.6l 4cyl. I cant get the upper cam sprocket off.
What is the procedure "less sawall" for loosening the timing chain to remove the sprocket?
Thanks
zion

[camoit]

All you do is remove the bolt and wiggle the gear off the front. No need to remove the chain. There should be a small peace of metal that it will sit on when removed and the head will slip over it.

[zzion]

All you do is remove the bolt and wiggle the gear off the front. No need to remove the chain. There should be a small peace of metal that it will sit on when removed and the head will slip over it.

I got the sprocket off the cam and the cam removed
How do you remove the head with the sprocket on, will the head slip over it?
Reason I ask several years ago I tried to remove a head with the sprocket on and as I recollect couldn't get the head off.

[DroppedMitsu]

Yea the head will slip over, I remember from doing the head gasket on my old 2.6

[zzion]

Yea the head will slip over, I remember from doing the head gasket on my old 2.6

Does it require an assistant or is it something I can do myself?

[Acuta73]

Can do it yerself, have enough times. That said, some help never hurts. Sure as hell make things easier.

Consider using a small rubber wedge attached to a wire and put in down between the chain, use it to wedge the tensioner. This will keep the chain from slipping down and make reassembly much easier. Wedge should sit inside the chain and fit snug between the tensioner and the opposite guide rail.

Theoretically the little lip bolted to the block will keep the chain from slipping too far down, but I've found through 6-8 times having the head off of mine that that ain't exactly true. One time I got to go fishing because the damn tensioner popped out and wedged itself against the guide rail.

IF you cannot get the head over the sprocket for some reason, you can remove that little lip thingy. Be damned sure you do wedge the chain if you do that, though. Just wedge it and drop the sprocket down to the top of the guide rails before you pull off the head. And watch your timing marks when you put it back together.