Have a '92 4.0 with a very worn upper chain guide on passenger side. Looks impossible to replace without pulling motor (according to Haynes manual)Any tricks to replace? I am replacing head gasket and can't pull motor where I'm at now. Seriously thinking of drilling access hole in front cover to remove bolts to change out, then replacing front cover later this summer when I should have place to pull and rebuild motor (150,000 miles +-) If there is any way to do without pulling motor, please let me know. Help!!

 

If you are doing a head gasket then while the head is off you can remove the front cover while the head is off (make sure you reinstall the front cover before putting the head back on the motor)

 

Haynes manual said in order to remove front cover, the oil pan needs to be removed
which means dropping front suspension(92 XJ 6). If the cover can be removed in the car without all that, you just made my week.I would much rather replace all guides now,(chains look OK, not rubbing on metal yet).Can be done in vehicle?

 

At the risk of being "banned", take the Haynes and "file it".

Use common sense, look at it logically, it is only bolts and nuts.

YES, the sump and head off is the way it is done in factory, no arguement there, but there are MANY ways of peeling an apple, mmmmm.

Remove the front pulley, remove the water pump, remove the MANY bolts holding the a/c bracket to the engine (these are a PAIN, but very do-able if common sense is used), remove the distributor, remove ALL the timing cover bolts including 4 from below that go thru the sump, TAP it forward, do what you do, and reverse it to refit, THEN put the head back on.

There are NO gaskets, just "Hi-Temp RTV".

I have had the one off the AJ16 (same except for 1 bolt) 4 times WITH the head and sump on the engine, replace dteh chains and dampers. First time is scary, always is, subsequent times had it off in under an hour, and I have serious arthritis in both hands, so without that affliction, time required would be minimal.

 

Thanks to both responses.Head is off, distributor out already.As long as I can unbolt/ bolt back on front cover items without dislodging oil pan,I will replace guides now. Didn't want to pull off A/C etc. only to find cover was hung up on oil pan like a small block Chevrolet.
No more "paralysis by analysis".

 

There are bolts under the front lip that go thru the pan that need to be removed, 2 at the front, 1 each side kinda hidden in the casting webbing, but very easy to access with a socket and medium length extension. That is the only pan bolts" in the exercise.

This will be good practice for when you migrate to the "real engine", the Mighty V12, now that timing cover R&R insitu is a real test of ones patience, and flexibility.