I have done a HG replacement so I think I'll be able to work my way through a timing chain switch (please correct me if this is a poor assumption). My Chilton's manual says not to attempt it without a "pulley extractor" and a "counter-holding bar". Are these absolutely necessary? Should I just buy/borrow one?

 

Pulley extractor aka harmonic balancer puller. The counter holding bar i would assume is so you can remove the cam and crank bolts. Not really necessary, but helpful especially if you have an auto.

 

So are you removing the head, or the oil pan to do the timing chain repalcement?

Might just be my luck, but the times I just tried removing the timing chain cover, and not the head , or the oil pan, mine always had a leak at the head..

 

When I did my timing chain, the crank bolt loosened up without needing a "holding bar" others have had much more difficulty.

I knew I was wrong but took a chance and gently tapped off the damper with a soft faced hammer. Bad idea. Vibration after I put it back together. New harmonic balancer time. You need a puller. I'd rent the stuff if I were you and its available.

Timing chain is probably not as tough as a headgasket. Be careful not to damage the head and pan gaskets if you do it w/o pulling head and pan (i did it that way; no problems. Yeah, I know; pieces floating around in the pan, I'm not worried)

My $0.02

 

my .02 if you do it take out the oil pump b4 installation, you WONT be able to get it to slide back into place without damaging your HG, ask me how i know and yeah my dampner slid right off?? i dont have any vibs, well the 35"s take care of that...and to get the dampner off just loosen the cam bolt first then get a long breaker bar and brace it at the frame rail an pull the coil wire and bump the starter, works good...and also see my cam sprocket thread to see what not to do hahaha

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I assumed that I had to drop either the oil pan or the remove the head. So I can avoid both by trying to ensure the gaskets are intact?

 

well when you remove the TC you have the bottom lip of the oil pan exposed and the front of the head exposed, you can avoid removing them by pulling out all necessary bolts in the TC and once its removed leave the head gasket alone, and scrap off the front of the oil pan gasket and make it all nice and clean (with a solvent of some sorts such as alcohol) and run a nice bead of RTV silicon on it and the same for the top of the Timing Cover, but like i said b4 its REALLY hard to slip the timing cover on without screwing up the headgasket while the oil pump is in place...