2 liter timing chain question

["Tony Sims" <SimsTony@domain.elided>]

The GTV has shed her engine and transmission, and the intake, exhaust,
starter, alternator and Spica have taken up residence under the shop bench.  I
can see no useful purpose in pulling the distributor, so I didn't.  The plan
for this weekend is to pull the head.  Shop manual, Owner's Bible, rosary
beads, hot coffee, cold beer and a dictionary of Italian curses will be in
easy reach.

Before the head goes back on I want to clean the carbon off the tops of the
pistons, and obviously this will be easier if they are at the top of the
cylinder.  So -- can I rotate the bottom end of the engine while the top
timing chain is off without causing myself pain, embarrassment and expense?  I
looked through my shop manual and the Owner's Bible, and I can't find any
urgent warning not to do this, but I also don't see anything that really
endorses the practice.

I looked deep into the heart of darkness after removing the cam cover, and it
appears that the lower chain just runs from the crank to a pulley that drives
the upper chain.  The upper chain appears to exist purely to drive the cams.
To my neophyte eyes it looks like I can rotate the bottom end willy-nilly, and
as long as everything arrives back at #1 TDC position before I drop the head
back on, no blood no foul.  There do not *appear* to be any mechanical
relationships that will be upset.  And yes, I do have some lengths of
electrical conduit and fender washers so I can clamp the liners in place
before I move anything.

Muito obrigado,

Tony
74 GTV

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