i'm sorry if this sounds a bit dumb but i need some help.
i have pulled the head and timing cover off my xh xr6 got all the parts and cleaned everything ready for it to go back together. is it better to put the head and cam in first to time it and then put the timing cover on last?

Timing cover must go on before the head goes on unless you have the sump off also...

Did you just zip tie the cam gear to the chain so it couldn't slip a tooth? If so then it wont need to be timed... If not then you need to drop a valve onto no1 cyl to mark true TDC on the harmonic balancer... Then if using a factory cam you'll need to degree the harmonic balancer to the amount of degree ford specify... wind it over to that then set the cam so it has the specified amount of lift at those degrees... That's how I did my VCT cam...

Or you can try and eyeball it for the 3 degrees above head surface... Hopefully you haven;t slipped a tooth on the AUX shaft... If you have then the ign timing will need doing too...

All depends how many settings you've lost pulling it apart... Usually a head gasket or head change involves no timing as most people zip tie the cam gear to the chain...

Cheers,
Tim

i am replacing the chain and all the guides and have droped the sump. i have timed the crank the dizzy gear. just want to know if its easyer to put the head on first and time the cam before putting the timing cover on? its not a vct motor and i am putting the standed xr6 cam and head back on.