aluminum heads and the "rope trick"

[bart40]

I'm trying to get a pair of Edlebrock heads off the engine. They've been on there a long time and I haven't been able to budge them. I've heard about the rope trick. Has anyone actually done this and are there any down sides like damage to the heads or engine. Thanks

[Ol' Ron]

Well you push some rope down the spark plug holes and rotate the engine and hope for the best

[bobH]

I tried it once, and it didn't work for me. But, no harm trying - give it a go. What's worst case? Might bust combustion chamber, if you can get enough momentum going with the 'rotate'. Like Ron says, 'hope for the best'.
For a running engine, I once had good luck loosening the head nuts (59A), and running the engine. One side popped loose quickly. Then I had to torque that side down and run the engine some more to pop the other side loose. I suspect this idea will not work if the heads are aluminum and really stuck??
Also recall how it was done in the 'old-days', 30's-40's-50's. Stock aluminum heads were 'sacrificial', and we would use destructive methods to get them off in chunks. Think chisels, saws, hammers, etc. This was the source of aluminum that we used in metal shop to learn aluminum casting. I still have cast book-ends from that experience.

[colin1928]

I have done this a bunch of times with engines out of the car it can not hurt anything
rope down the spark plug hole on 1 of the centre cylinders turn the crank till it stops and a few sharp tapes on head studs with the nuts backed off

[bart40]

Thanks all for the wisdom. Now, I think I will go out and stare at it for a while until I decide what to do.

[xix32]

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Assuming you have already tried squirting penetating oil down the studs and waiting a few days then smacking the head with a big hammer and wood block from four directions , and built some fittings to screw into the plug holes to lift it by. ... Then here is a thought I have had, and would try myself. Since this is caused by dissimilar metal corrosion between the steel studs and the aluminum heads. I would build a mini hole saw from a piece of thin wall tubing just a little bit bigger I.D. than the studs, saw some teeth in it and bore down through the aluminum head and crud. Some .035" wall chromemoly tubing from an aircraft supply company might work.