What's the total milage on the car? 150,000 or up, I'd look at the valves while it was out.

Do not run an assembled head through any cleaning system, you will likely ruin the valve guides. If you want to tank it, you will have to remove the valves.

If it were me, I'd just pull, clean up, and re-install. If you don't have any oil consumption, you don't need to do the valves unless it is really hard to start. Most likely, if you have no oil consumption, the valves are fine.

When you go to pull the head, wire tie the chain to the cam gear and then remove the head bolts. Remove cam gear, then break head loose while someone else holds the gear. Lift head some and shove some wire through the gap between head and block up front to trap the chain.

I belive you must also remove the upper chain guide (driver's side) and possibly the tensioner and tensioner guide rail (bent steel one, plastic one can stay in).

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!