I'm preparing to pull the head on my '66 230 with the m180 engine to replace the head gasket and find a coolent leak into a combustion chamber. I've never pulled a head with an overhead cam before and after reading the FSM, I'm still unclear on a few things:

1) After removing the tensioner and upper guides, can I just tie the chain off to the cam sprocket and drop it into the cavity?

2) If not, can I just mark the chain and sprocket, remove the chain from the sprocket, and drop the chain into the cavity?

3) In either case, how I can I be sure that the chain won't come off the crank sprocket?

Thanks, everyone!

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1981 300TD 310k miles
1970 280sel 172k miles
1966 230 Fintail 162k miles

"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand basket?"

I don't think it matters if the chain comes off the crank spocket. I have always removed the sprocket from the cam then the chain from the sprocket and let the chain fall into the timing chest.

If the chain has been replaced before there will be a master link that you can undo.
I always turn the engine over so that it's at TDC number one piston. This makes assembly much better since the whole engine is in time. I don't like to drop the chain into the chain case without a way to fish it back out so I tie a piece of wire to both ends so it can be easily removed.

In the very odd chance you find a cracked head or some other serious problem, I believe I have a NOS head around here somewhere that I have available.

Thanks for the offer, Doc. I will definitely keep that in mind. I've read all kinds of horror stories on these old aluminum heads.

__________________
1981 300TD 310k miles
1970 280sel 172k miles
1966 230 Fintail 162k miles

"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand basket?"

Do not forget the smaller Allen head screws hiding inside the chain chamber. Pull the head off with the intake and exhaust manifolds, release the exhaust pipes from the manifold.