N47 Head Removal Problem

[gwri8]

14 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Put it back together without the head bolts and start it up.  That should pop it loose.

That is one option, but I think it would involve too much beer and those famous words "Hey, watch me do this!"

[S30Driver]

I suppose you could put the valve train back together, spark plugs in and just use the compression to see if it comes free.  I think Mike's advice is good though and I would just use leverage and a rubber mallet to work it free.  I think you will find the same red sealant on the head gasket that was used on the manifolds.

[Zed Head]

Mine wouldn't budge either, one of the center bolts broke off and rust had packed the cavity.  Once I got a small gap though I worked it off.  Took time.  That's why I asked if there were any gaps.  If there's a gap between head and block then it's probably not the gasket sticking, it's the locating dowels or a broken bolt.  If there's no gap at all between head and block then it might be glued on.

If there is even a hint of a gap you can squirt carb cleaner or rusted thread breaker in the gap and let it work.  Actually you can do it anyway because there should still be some small passages that will wick in some solvents.  Even if they don't dissolve the sealant they might swell it and loosen it it up.

If you keep with the lever in the ports, you might want to loosely install some head botls like sb suggested.  So if it breaks free from sealant it doesn't cause any damage, or you don't get damaged yourself.

 

[gwri8]

Unfortunately there are no gaps so far.  My current attempt is with the hoist. I've got it hooked to the front and back of the head at the lift eyes and under some tension, not enough to tear the motor mounts but enough to hopefully let the weight of the car, time and Mr. Gravity work a little bit.  Plus a few taps now and again with a dead blow hammer for good measure. 

[zKars]

You're not using a big enough hammer. The pass side sticks out over the block giving you a place to bang upward. Use a block of wood between the head and your 2-3 lb sledge. You do have one don't you?

 

[Mike]

1 hour ago, gwri8 said:

Unfortunately there are no gaps so far.  My current attempt is with the hoist. I've got it hooked to the front and back of the head at the lift eyes and under some tension, not enough to tear the motor mounts but enough to hopefully let the weight of the car, time and Mr. Gravity work a little bit.  Plus a few taps now and again with a dead blow hammer for good measure. 

Are you absolutely sure you have all of the bolts removed?  If the head isn't coming apart from the block, even with a hoist, you have something preventing it from coming loose.  Can you send a pic of the front and sides of the head while you have it on the hoist?

m

[Zed Head]

zKars' block of wood and a sledge is a good idea.  Won't hurt, the wood is soft.  I can't remember but I think it might have been part of my "work it off" procedure.  My engine was out, on the floor though, so easy to maneuver around.

Take a picture of all 14 bolts.  We'll count them for you, just to be sure.

[gwri8]

Bolts are out, including the 2 front 10mm. 

[gwri8]

1 hour ago, zKars said:

You're not using a big enough hammer. The pass side sticks out over the block giving you a place to bang upward. Use a block of wood between the head and your 2-3 lb sledge. You do have one don't you?

 

I've got all kinds of hammers. Not too much room to swing though.

 

[siteunseen]

8 minutes ago, gwri8 said:

I've got all kinds of hammers. Not too much room to swing though.

 

Get a 2x4 the right length on that overhang on the passenger's side, use a floor jack and come up from the bottom?

I'd tap a putty knife in all around the head gasket to break the seal.

[gwri8]

Y'all mean the driver (exhaust) side for overhang, right? I don't see it on the passenger side.

[Zed Head]

Edited - Never mind.  Made no sense at all.  

Just throwing out some ideas.  I see some rust on a few of the head bolts.  I think that dowels are close to the water passages.  Rust grows when it forms, making things tight.  And the head bolt  that broke might have bent in to the head a bit when it twisted, causing a side load.

Edited October 5, 2016 by Zed Head