P79 Head Stuck to Block, Please Help!

[Zed Head]

Harbor Freight also.

If you get some constant lifting force from the rafters, or from below with a 2x4, then pound/tap on the broken bolt piece that will help break that bond.  The broken piece will stretch a bit and each "tap" will compress it, causing it to move it out of the hole a fraction of an inch with each blow.  Eventually a gap will open somewhere and you can start filling the gaps with wedges.  .

[NMcKe97]

Well after an afternoon and evening of smacking, prying, and wedging combined with pb blaster and sweat I am no closer to removing the head. I ended up running to home depot and got a handful of 2x4s, a stiff puddy knife, plastic tiling wedges (couldnt find the toilet levelers I'll need to check again),  and a 4lb home depot sledge hammer.

As of right now there is still little to no gap between the head and lower end and no movement in any direction. I have all the head bolt holes filed with pb blaster on the driver side and continuesly spray it into the pasenger side as it leaks out at the head gasket. Im praying that the combination of pb blaster seaping into the head gasket from the bolt holes and from the outside of the block will disolve it enough to be broken loose but so far no cigar. I've been smacking the living day light out of the 2x4 that's angled against the intake side of things but to no prevail. I manged to slide a tiny amount of plastic tile wedges partially in but they appear to have just compressed in size and aren't providing an adequet wedging force so I might need to try something else. When using my puddy knife I could only manage to slightly fit the corner of it under the head and couldnt really hammer or work it in.

Unfortunately I will not be out to work on my car again tell this Friday so I won't be able to try anything else until then, but please keep the advice, input, and recommendations coming, any and every bit of info helps.  Come Friday I'm going to go to town on this thing. I'll be getting some liquid wrench penetrating oil, try jacking the 2x4s up into the head, smacking a 2x4 against the side of the head with my sledge hammer some more, and prying up on the head with a crow bar and piece of wood (like grwi8 recommended) I'll be doing these all at the same time with my friends help. If that doesn't do it I guess I'll be looking at an engine hoist to add on top of all of that and a 50/50 ATF acetone mix to penetrate any and all corrosion and rust. 

I liked the wratchet strap and hoist ideas but im working on my car in the street in front of a friends house. Unfortunately there's nothing to attach a wratchet strap to and I dont know how long my hoist or engine for that matter would last out on the street so I wouldnt be able to leave it hoisted up over night. Maybe if I can convince my friend to put my car in his garage I can leave it on the hoist so I'll have to try and work that out.

Thanks again guys for the reassurance in support, I'd be up a stream without a paddle if not for these forums and all your advice.

Where/who would you guys recommend I take my engine to If I'm unable to free the head from the lower end?

I took a handful of photos and I'll attach them down below for you all to check out and examine if you'd like. Once more I'd like to just thank everyone for all your input and advice. It really helps out and is much appreciated. -Noah M 

Edited July 25, 2017 by NMcKe97

[madkaw]

I know you said you bought a sledge hammer , but I would have recommended a 3-5 lb dead blow hammer( not a rubber mallet) . Then you could hit the head directly anywhere , for the most part , from any direction without holding wood too. A miss with the sledge will break aluminum, but unlikely with a dead blow. It sounds like your just hitting it from one side also. You need to hit it from every angle to break things loose.

[dutchzcarguy]

Please... disconnect your battery (neg. first!!) when you get busy with repairs..

What would happen when you reconnect your timing, install the sparkplugs and turn the engine with a spanner..  maybe put some headbolts loosly in there for safety?  just a thought.... put some oil in cil . 1 and 6. and your head will come off... hihihi....  (I've never done that, maybe someone can say if this a good way? can those pistons and stuff hold that kind of abuse?)

It looks like there is no headgasket.. very flat one..

 

[siteunseen]

Try a 2x4 under here then a jack on the ground.  Put a little pressure on it, you'll see the car start to rise up, but not too much.  Let it sit for awhile, maybe overnight.  Then try the other side.

 

[sweatybetty]

thinking out loud here. any way of getting starting fluid into #1 & #6, closing the valves and igniting it? a few head bolts threaded in halfway to keep the head in the immediate area, might be enough pop to break it loose. what about air pressure in those cylinders while driving wedges in?

[siteunseen]

I've read something similar to Sweaty Betty's idea and it may have already been mentioned. Somebody on here stuffed small nylon rope into the spark plugs holes to fill them up then put a 27mm socket on the crank nose or pulley. When they turned the socket the pitons pushed the rope into the head and popped it loose.

[gwri8]

I know it doesn't feel like it, but you will get it off.  Been there. You are being more careful of the head than a guy that has 20 other cars in line that need service also.  Paitence will pay off for you.

[Zed Head]

Use the cars scissor jack and a piece of wood to push up on the head from below.  You need constant force to open up any gaps and keep them open.  The head is flexible and the gaps will close back up after you open them with the sledge or hammer.  The scissor jack is mechanical and precise and will allow you to apply controlled amounts of force.  Plus, if the head lets go it will only move a small amount.  And you can leave it there for days.

[NMcKe97]

Gotta say I really love the commumity support,  thanks guys!

I was actually thinking the same thing madkaw in regards to the deadblow. I unfortunately neglected to pick one up in hopes that  I could save a few bucks and that the sledge hammer and 2x4 would cut it, but of course it's never that easy haha. I only used the rubber mallet cause it's what I had on hand, guess I'll be making my way back to home depot for a 5lb dead blow. I'll make sure to start moving the hits all around the block next go around also.

Oops, I guess I didn't pay much attention to the battery, I'll make sure to disconnect it next time I get under the hood, thanks for pointing that out dutchzcarguy. I've read a handful of variations about putting stuff in cylinder 1 & 6 similar to what dutchzcarguy and sweatybetty are recommending, not the same exact technique but the same general idea. I'll probably give the nylon rope idea a try like siteunseen is talking about and then try the other ideas if that doesnt cut it. I'd try the air pressure like sweatybetty said but I don't have an air compressor. If I try adding starter fluid how much would you recomend adding and which cam position closes the valves, up or down facing cam lobes?

Yea it sure does appear that most the gasket is gone or smashed to oblivion haha, it's been in need of a replacement for a long time!

I'll make sure to give that 2x4 jack point a go this Friday siteunseen. Would you have a spot on the other side of the block you'd recommend I try to jack it from? I'll probably end up throwing the scissor jack like zed head is recomending as well as my other jack underneath to provide constant presure when I get working on it again

Thanks for the reasurance gwri8, if everyone else can do it I don't see why I can't haha, hopefully. You do make a good point, that's definitley a big factor of why I wanted to do it in the first place. I guess it's a game of patience and tolerance for me haha.

Thanks again everyone all the input is awesome and will definitley be leading to results at some point or another, if you got any more keep it coming! -Noah M

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Edited July 25, 2017 by NMcKe97

[siteunseen]

You have the engine lifting bracket up front on the passenger's side, I noticed in one of your photos. It's not the center but that would be a good spot to put the wood under. Probably get it behind the alternator and on a small jack?  A 2x4 might be too big. You could use a broom stick or something similar. I don't think you'll have to put much pressure on it, just leave it constant like overnight and the pressure will break it loose.

Good luck. 8^)

Edited July 25, 2017 by siteunseen

[dutchzcarguy]

12 hours ago, NMcKe97 said:

and which cam position closes the valves, up or down facing cam lobes?

Lobes UP... but really... let the rest of the work to a technician who knows what to do..