Idler arm upgrade with chain tensioners?

[wareaglescott]

79 Sc with the original tensioners and collars added.

I am upgrading to the oil fed tensioners. I have the old tensioner out. I also bought the newer style idler arms. Looking at replacing those and I am wondering if I can get enough slack on the chain to get the old idler arm out without removing the camshaft gear from the camshaft. Has anyone done this that can advise?

I am beyond my comfort level for getting to far into the motor and was hoping I could accomplish this without having to mess with Cam timing. As an alternative I have the spacers I could use with the older idler arms but am reading speculation those may be the culprit in tensioner failures in the first place.

Fred Cook has been nice enough to provide me instructions on the cam timing process but I am honestly a little timid to mess with it!

Thanks as always!

[john walker's workshop]

Set the engine at TDC for #1. Remove the tensioners without turning the crank or cams. The cams will stay in place. The idler arms can be swapped then and the new tensioners installed. The tensioner pins need to be in place until they are installed. Really no need to tie everything in place as long as it's on #1 and the crank and cams are not moved. Engines with wild cams may not follow this rule.

[wareaglescott]

Thanks John. Accomplished that today no problem.
Some of these things sure seem harder to understand in theory until you see it the first time. Have a better understanding now of how everything works together.