Head Removal Tip Needed

M

Maurer1929

Member
I am going to remove the head on my standard '29 engine. It runs wells but the head gasket is leaking and want to replace the standard head with a 5.5 compression head for more power. The head hasn't been removed in probably 50 years. What is the best way to remove the head and extract the head bolts/screws without breaking them or the head?
 
Removing the head is probably the easiest task. Just remove the stud nuts and start the engine. The compression will pop the head off, and the engine will stall. In fact, it probably won't start.

Getting the studs out is the hard part. I broke two off by impatience.

If I were doing it again, I'd soak them in Kroil for two weeks before touching them with a wrench. Then I'd probably use a 8" pipe wrench as close to the block as possible. Use very, very light pressure on the pipe wrench, and go back and forth until the stud turns all the way out.

I tried stud removers, and they were too high up, causing the stud to twist off. Double-nutting had the same effect. Need to get close to the block.

There are several threads on removing studs, and breaking studs. Read them all.
 
Get yourself one of these, or find someone you can borrow one from. It will save you a lot of grief down the line. Snyders (& others) ~$85
 

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You can also remove the plugs and put a piece of rope part way down one of the cylinders; turn the engine over with the starter and the head should come loose. Don't do any prying around the edges with anything!
 
Two engines, I removed the top nuts, tapped underside of water pump, got little room weasled a coated phone wire in front thru to the other side- and pulled got room in the back- did the same then wiggled the whole thing off.

First engine wasn't rusted bad, second one was rusted solid, yet still worked.

As far as studs- Used pops old Rust Remover from the steel mill- for about 2 weeks- each time I walked by the engine gave it a few squirts-tapped on studs to vibrate alittle. Then after 2 weeks did two more weeks of PB Blaster again, any time I walked by the engine, I gave it a blast- tapped on studs to vibrate em. Then I used the double nut method- No Problemo
 
I have not tried this on a Model A yet, however I have used this method on a few John Deere 2 cylinder tractors and many Hit & Miss engines:
Start by tapping on the stud with a hammer for about 10 - 15 min., not hard, it is the vibration you are looking for. While tapping, squirt a little of your favorite rust loosening oil, JB-80, WD-40, StrongArm, etc. around the base of the stud. Using a good visegrip attached right next to the block on the stud, turn be careful to not twist stud off, if it is still stuck, you can do one of two things. 1) Do the tapping part for another 10 – 15 min. or 2) if you have a good Oxy / Acetylene torch, use as much heat as possible and heat the stud red hot as fast as possible about ½ inch above the block, be very careful to NOT heat the block, the key here is to keep as much heat as possible away from the block. As soon as the red goes out of the stud, tap on it again for about 5 min. attach the visegrip again and turn it loose. I have twisted off many studs by not doing it this way, and none since I learned about it. As anything the more patients you have the better the outcome, hurry up is not part of this process.
 
newshirt said:
Removing the head is probably the easiest task. Just remove the stud nuts and start the engine. The compression will pop the head off, and the engine will stall. In fact, it probably won't start.
Click to expand...

But empty the radiator before doing this, or things will get messy...

Doug
 
sometimes you need to know your limitations,I learned the hardway second time took to machine shop
 
Ok so

loosen nuts with WD-40 for a week or two with tapping
drain water
start engine - head will separate and engine will stop

What about the distributor? Do I need to loosen the lock screw?
 
I tried the "start the engine with loose head nuts", the "rope trick", tapping the water pump, couldn't get it apart enough to get phone cord under it, lifting it with eyebolts in the spark plug holes with an engine hoist, and Lord knows what else. I'm sure that Gord's head puller works as well or better than the one I posted in #3 above, but something like that was the answer. (for me anyway)
 
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