Remaining oil in head at removal
 

Imagine my surprise when I took off the valve train of my new 1991 wagon and found it full of oil which I suppose cool the head. How do I get this out without making a mess?

There are intentional oil pools beneath the cam to help lubricate the cam lobes at startup. To avoid spilling you need to keep the head in a horizontal position while lifting it off, until you can tip it over your oil catch pan and drain it.