4.2 head removal

[Gordo]

Hi all, brand new here and I am into a beauty so all help will be appreciated! I picked up an 02 Envoy with a broken spark plug in it. My attempts to remove it have failed and I now have a broken easy out as well as a broken spark plug. No problem, I'll remove the head! I am close to pulling the cams but and afraid of losing my timing marks. The pan and front cover are still on. I have a manual on order but do not yet have it. I see there is an expensive tool available to jam the chain between the tensioner and a front casting boss. This just looks like a wedge. Can anyone detail the dimensions for me? I am thinking I can fashion one out of hardwood? Next I was going to mark the crank pully location on the front cover, then both cams to the chain right where they sit and remove the cams. I do not know how the exhaust cam preload works so have not done this yet. I do not want to turn the engine over either as there is debris in the combustion chamber and with the broken easy out, I cannot physically find tdc on #1 anyway (that is where the broken plug is).

What would you do???

Thanks!

 

[Gordo]

Has nobody here pulled a 4.2 head without dropping the pan???? WTF?

 

[Gordo]

Nevermind, I figured it out myself.

 

[limequat]

This is a pretty small and new forum, so don't expect dozens of posts a day.

Glad you got it figured out. For posterity, the trick is to keep tension on the timing chain so that it doesn't slip off the crank sprocket. If that happens, you have to pull the pan.

Gordo, if you get stuck feel free to post back up or PM me. I've never pulled a head on one of these myself, but I do have access to lots of service information.

 

[Mooseman]

Too bad you didn't get here before ordering that manual. We have them right here! Check my sig.

Yeah, I'm surprised nobody picked up on your post, including myself since I'll be doing a similar job replacing the camshaft actuator. Your post may have just slipped through the cracks. Did you use the two Kent-Moore tools to hold the chain?

 

[Gordo]

I could not find the tool locally to buy or borrow so I made my own. Found a good picture on line, just had to play with the dimensions a bit.

 

[Gordo]

Thanks for the manual! I've added it to my library!