model a original head

[reggiedog]

I'm going to try the rope thing in the spark plug hole and the eye bolts in the spark plug holes for prying on the head. I just hope I can find the #9 rope that is and the eye bolts for the spark plug holes there 7/8" spark plugs as I was told I just hope I can find something that big for them.

[Rusty Homestead Fl]

If the starter is still there just hook some jumper cables to your car battery and the starter. 12 volts won't hurt the A starter.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Stuff the cylinder with rope and use the piston to force a stuck head. I wonder if there's any chance of bending a rod?

[larrys40]

Thorough soaking with Kroil is a must. Unfortunately there are lots of poor you tube videos out there.. That one wasn't the best for sure. I like the ding on the headlight with the hammer. OUch! and personally I don't like putting that much pressure on a cast iron manifold that could break or punch a hole and then you're in for more than a head gasket.
The wedge up front isn't a bad idea.. Personally have I use lots of wedges between the layers of head gaskets...from large screwdrivers to carefully placed larger wedges. I recently obtained one of the head pullers but have only used it once. They are an excellent augmentive tool. Removing each one is different. Some are easy.. some are very difficult. Of course you know where the valves and the weak areas are... or you shouldn't be doing it...Once it moves its a matter of using enough leverage force front to back to get it up.

In my opinion the spin the engine thing has never worked for any head that is really stuck to begin with. And... not sure about the rope trick but it doesn't sound good either. Yes, how about that babbitt and rods... and then you have all the rope crap to deal with that will just compress.

Tom.. I think you were at last years national when I did Jim Thomas's on his yellow cabriolet that had a blown head gasket. He said it had been on 25 years. Start to finish it was about an hour job... but it went like clockwork. Two days before I did one that had only been on 3 years and it was enormously difficult and took 4 hours to get the head off. Nevertheless... it came off. You just have to be patient, methodical, and prudent in your actions for removal. If your club has a read remover tool I would suggest obtaining it for use as an option. Kroil, kroil.. and more kroil!

Larry Shepard

[Bill in NJ]

May I ask why are you pulling the head off in the first place ??

[w.michael]

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I just pulled a head that had been on the car 22 years using the head puller that Snyders sells. It came off easy as pie. Much easier that the way I used to do it with putty knives and wedges. This tool is not cheap, but it sure does work well.

I don't mean to be a smart alec, and forgive me if I've misread your posts, but you do not need a chain hoist or "picker" to use the head puller. Yes, it can also double as an engine lift bracket, but you do not need a hoist to use it as a head puller. Again, sorry if I've misunderstood what you've said.

All of the ideas posted about using penetrating oil and carefully using wedges on the corners of the block are good. I suggest you follow those, but also invest in or borrow a good head puller. I think you will find it money well spent.

W. Michael

[edmondclinton]

spell

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Stuff the cylinder with rope and use the piston to force a stuck head. I wonder if there's any chance of bending a rod?

Yes, absolutely, a rod could bend..... Not the thing to do IMO.

The key is a head removal tool and/or patience, soaking down the stud holes with Kroil or PB Blaster and then repeated jarring with a mallet on the sharp 4 corners of the head and up at the front near the water pump area. The area around the dist. hole is pretty strong too. The flat areas between the stud bosses are weak. It may have to soak for a 2 weeks, who knows. Be patient.

[Synchro909]

What does it matter if you do crack the head? Standard heads are as cheap as chips and plentiful, what with everybody putting High Compression heads on. Drive in a wedge and show it who's boss.

[colin1928]

Do not drive a wedge in or any hard object under the head
this is how decks get damaged sometimes beyond machining
make yourself a puller some steel a few bolts and your done

[reggiedog]

The reason why I'm taking the head off in the first place in the get the one stud out for the pop out I thought I had mentioned that before doesn't matter and to get rid of all of the crape in there. There's a lot of rusty crap in there and who knows what else the motor hasn't run for about 18+ years so who knows what's in there But I did try the wedge thing under the water pump NOT a good idea with the water pump on there but I did find out one thing though the water pump housing has a crack in it. So now I need a another original water pump housing E-Bay time after I get the head off but Rick Black just sent me a thing for a head puller that I have never seen that type before but I like the idea of it. It uses the spark plug holes as the others do but this one sits on top of the head stud bolts also that you just keep tightening all of them down the bolts on the spark plugs that is. It's made by a Gordon Baverstock from Canada as I was told I think I'm going to make one just like that out of 1/2" steel plate as he did and see what happens he said you can put 20,000.00 lbs on it to pull the head off I don't know why it has to be that thick but it is. I do know original heads are NOT cheap any more like they used to be years ago you could pick up a good original head for less then $100.00 now there about $300.00 as I have found anyway.

[ronn]

(WE EVEN DISPELLED THE THEORY THAT CUCUMBER JUICE WOULD REMOVE RUST!)

who would have guessed that so much science was involved...............?

[reggiedog]

You got that right ????

[Tom Wesenberg]

I made my head puller from 1/2" steel plate.
You'd probably do better just buying the water pump or other parts you need right from Bert's (800-321-1931) instead of ebay.

[edmondclinton]

Water pump housings are fairly easy to break, as are distributor housings at the base.

If you want the head to come off much more easily next time, then grease the body of the studs with anti-seize compound before putting the head back on. Apply some to the base or coarse threads as well but keep it off the fine end threads or nut end of the studs as it will cause you to over-torque.

[George Miller]

It also helps to not screw the stud in tight. If you do it can cause it to tilt to one side. If you have a lot of them tilted, it will make the head come off even harder.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by edmondclinton

Water pump housings are fairly easy to break, as are distributor housings at the base.

If you want the head to come off much more easily next time, then grease the body of the studs with anti-seize compound before putting the head back on. Apply some to the base or coarse threads as well but keep it off the fine end threads or nut end of the studs as it will cause you to over-torque.

How would that happen? The nut is supposed to turn on the stud, that is, on the fine thread. Torque settings are for the fine thread, not the course one. That would not hold the head down tight enough. IMO

[reggiedog]

Thank you very much I didn't know that one I was planing on putting anti seize on the studs but I would of put it on all the threads and now I won't. Thanks again reggiedog

[edmondclinton]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

How would that happen? The nut is supposed to turn on the stud, that is, on the fine thread. Torque settings are for the fine thread, not the course one. That would not hold the head down tight enough. IMO

You must not have much experience.

Anti-seize compound or any substance that lubricates threads will increase the pressure of a torque specification, sometimes drastically. Or in other words, that 55 pounds of torque applied to the head nuts may be like torqueing them to nearly 90 or better due to the reduced friction from the lube and depending on the lube's ingredients.

Torque values are for dry thread unless otherwise noted. However, if a lube is used, such as Permatex anti-seize, Never-sieze, Moly-Cote etc., etc., torque values should always be reduced accordingly, anywhere from 25 to 60 % depending on the manufacturer's recommendation; except for using light motor oil which improves torque accuracy somewhat and has limited effect on increasing the pressure.

Anti-seize applied to the base coarse threads will help to prevent the stud locking in the hole from rust. Of course if the stud boss has been broken off on the bottom, exposing the threads to the water jacket, then a coating of anti-seize may not last too long but it would still be better than nothing. RTV would be the best choice in such cases.

[reggiedog]

Are you saying RTV would be better then anti seize for the coarse threads that go into the block itself ????. Or put it on both fine and coarse theads and yes I'm NOT a pro at this this is the first time I had to take the head off the motor. But I'm learning a lot in doing this but as I found out I don't have the wright tools to do it so now I'm in the prosses of making some of the tools like the head lifter. I just bought some of the bolts to make it but I can't find the spark plug foulers for the plugs yet not many of them are NOT made for the 7/8" plugs around here so I have to order them I just have to find out where to order them first.

[edmondclinton]

[QUOTE=reggiedog;1047231]Are you saying RTV would be better then anti seize for the coarse threads that go into the block itself ????. Or put it on both fine and coarse theads and yes I'm NOT a pro at this this is the first time I had to take the head off the motor. QUOTE]


Please take the time to reread what I have already posted.

Yes, RTV is the thing to use on the COARSE threads of the stud that go in the block IF the stud boss has been broken off on the bottom or is cracked or contains pinholes from rust out exposing the threads to the water jacket. The stud bosses, below the deck, that contain the lowest block threads were made solid and are not exposed to the water. However, over the last 80 plus years, many have rust pinholes in the iron that let water seep in and many are flat broken off on the end exposing the hole openly to the water. Consequently, the water will find its way up the stud and leak. RTV is used to seal it off.

Don't put anything on the fine end nut threads of the stud other than light motor oil. Anything else will affect the torque and the value must be reduced to prevent over-torque as has already been discussed in my other posts.