I believe that the timing chain on that car/year had issues, also the vacuum pump can lose its bearings and damage the timing device (as well as total the engine is some cases) so beware of those problems.

Removal of the timing device seems feasible without changing the timing, the trick is to be sure of the position of the crank/cam/IP (TDC) and remove the chain tensioner, which hopefully will give enough slack to remove the timing device with the IP in place. If not, perhaps you could remove the cam gear at that point so that there is enough slack to remove the timing device without loosening the IP mounting.

If the IP is not moved, and all remains at TDC, the timing device is on a splined shaft, so it'll index right back where you started.

I have not removed a timing device without removing the IP first, so this is theory, someone else here might know better.

If that's all it needs (and I think I have one), $1200 is a great buy IMO.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff