Vacuum pump gear lobes are trashed.

Is there any way to remove the gear (with the lobes apparently attached; looks like a 1 part assembly) without dropping the timing chain? We're trying to figure this out on our parts engine now and there isn't enough room to get the chain slack enough (with the front cover on) to remove the gear that drives the vac pump.

Is there a trick to this? We're headed down now to pull the timing cover (this is gonna be FUN with the engine in the good car) off the parts engine and see what that reveals.

EDIT: I may be using bad terminology. When i said "vacuum pump gear lobes" I meant the metal curvy piece that is like two up hills and two down hills at 180 degrees from each other; it's mounted to the front surface of the gear that the timing chain goes around behind the vac pump. It looks like the thing that causes the pump mechanism to get pushed and released.

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"What could possibly go wrong?"

~Michael S.~ -
1986 M-B 300SDL, retired due to rust and electrical problems. Donated engine to:
1987 M-B 300SDL, odo dead. New project.
1982 M-B 240D, odo stopped at 308,000
1982 M-B 300SD, 175,000
1989 Dodge Ramcharger, 87,000 - 4wd, 318