Any particular sequence in REMOVING head nuts?

29er

29er

Senior Member
I've got to replace my head gasket. Having never done that before, I'm curious to know whether the head nuts need to be removed in any particular sequence as is the case when installing them.

Thanks!
 
Of course first drain your coolant to below the level of the head. You can start by loosening them all a turn starting at the front of the head and then the back and then center. it really isn't going to make a lot of difference honestly if you're replacing the head gasket. While the head is off I would check it for true and get it surfaced if it's over .005.

Follow the torque sequence in the shop manuals available for repaclement once the new head gasket and head are installed. Just did one today!
Larry Shepard
 
After drowning all the studs in a rust inhibitor, I have personally used the cotton rope trick to release the head from the studs.

I simply maintain a 10' length of ¼" cotton rope for this purpose. Simply remove all the plugs, remove all the nuts, stuff as much of one end of the rope in the #1 cylinder as you can, and stuff as much of the other end if the rope in the #4 cylinder, place the car in 3rd gear and rock the car until the head pops up, the rest can be done with wedges. just be sure to soak the studs with your preferred rust inhibitor.

If you only read one or two threads on rust inhibitors, you will find there are an unlimited amount of opinions on the subject.

My nickle.
 
After drowning all the studs in a rust inhibitor, I have personally used the cotton rope trick to release the head from the studs.

I simply maintain a 10' length of ¼" cotton rope for this purpose. Simply remove all the plugs, remove all the nuts, stuff as much of one end of the rope in the #1 cylinder as you can, and stuff as much of the other end if the rope in the #4 cylinder, place the car in 3rd gear and rock the car until the head pops up, the rest can be done with wedges. just be sure to soak the studs with your preferred rust inhibitor.

If you only read one or two threads on rust inhibitors, you will find there are an unlimited amount of opinions on the subject.

My wooden nickle.
 
To answer your original question, if you want to be super anal. Take them off in the reverse
order as the tightening torque shows. Other wise just a circular pattern from outside in
will do it.
Many just take them off willy nilly and don't worry about it.
 
I take them off cold so they don't warp and with coolant drained. No particular order. Use a head remover tool if stuck.
 
RawhideKid said:
After drowning all the studs in a rust inhibitor, I have personally used the cotton rope trick to release the head from the studs.

I simply maintain a 10' length of ¼" cotton rope for this purpose. Simply remove all the plugs, remove all the nuts, stuff as much of one end of the rope in the #1 cylinder as you can, and stuff as much of the other end if the rope in the #4 cylinder, place the car in 3rd gear and rock the car until the head pops up, the rest can be done with wedges. just be sure to soak the studs with your preferred rust inhibitor.

If you only read one or two threads on rust inhibitors, you will find there are an unlimited amount of opinions on the subject.

My nickle.
Click to expand...

i know if i did this i would brake something, i was able to lift the car off the ground by the head. i don't think the rope thing is very good
 
Lossen head bolts using the pattern for tightening. Without turning on ignition turn car over. Head should pop up. Penetrating oil will also help.
 
Trust me, CLEANLINESS is next to GODLINESS, when replacing a gasket. I even run a drill bit through the head holes, to clean them.
One Guy was PISSING that his "modern" gasket LEAKED! He found a LARGE flake of crap on one of the RED Silicone sealing rings!!!
Bill Mr. Clean
 
I. How To Insure Cast Iron Warping.

A How to warp a perfect head? Same way as:

B. How to warp a perfect exhaust manifold?

C. Create differential over-stressed points on cast iron and apply heat.

E. With a perfect cast iron exhaust manifold, omit gland rings and allow the bouncing weight of the muffler to weigh down the rear end of the cast iron manifold accompanied with heat ........ over time, this warping method creates rear sagging, and works every time ..... also, applying differential torque to manifold bolts helps to warp manifolds.

F. With a perfect head:

1. Start up engine & allow engine to reach operating temperature; stop engine; immediately drain coolant through a tiny pet ****, (slowly); then, when head gets super hot after coolant is drained, and the cast iron temperature rises, immediately loosen head nuts one at a time to produce high cast iron bending differential stress points; and/or,

2. Tighten or loosen head bolts one at a time to insure creating differential cast iron high stress points; and/or,

3. Operate engine with differential stress points; e.g., provide more torque on one or more head bolts to insure the head is stressed in a warped fashion so when engine starts and cast iron temperature rises, the head can stay warped.

II. Prevent Cast Iron Warping:

a. How to keep a new manifold from sagging and warping? Install Ford engineer designed gland rings ..... and torque manifold bolts evenly to prevent warping..

b. How to keep a new Model A head from warping? Read how to warp a head, think about more ways how to warp a cast iron head, ... and then think and concentrate on what "not" to do.
 
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They way i do things is this: is it going to hurt anythign by randomly removing head nuts? probably not. can it hurt anything by removing them in reverse order? probably not BUT it gets you in the habbit of memorizing the proper torque sequence. Kind of like removing lug nuts from a wheel.

Now the upper water pump ear nuts I would gradually work them back and forth torque wise on removal as well - I dont want to know if theres underlying stress and hear the distinct "PLINK" noise when an ear busts off....
 
Thanks guys!

Two references I have here don't discuss the order of head nut removal. Those two references are The Book Of Les, and the video by Alex Janke. So I'm assuming it doesn't matter. But like SeaSlugs says, it probably doesn't hurt to remove them in reverse order, either, so that's what I'll do.

Mike
 
This is usually my sequence: Loosen ever nut, remove nuts and head, snap third fifth and seventh stud off at the block. Spend next week removing broken studs. LOL
 
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