Removing "junk motor" head

jim1932

jim1932

Well-known member
I have read the tips for removing a head but my situation makes many of the methods useless. This is a motor that has been sitting for a long time and I assume it is shot. What it does have is a high compression head that I want. It has been sitting inside but with the manifolds off. It does have the spark plugs in. This is not in a frame or anything. So, I can't do the turn it over or rock the car. Any suggestions?
 

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Get one of Bill Stipe's head pullers (available direct from him or most of the vendors) Works like a charm, even on stubborn heads!
 

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You assume the motor is shot due to it having sat around but don't make hasty judgements because good engines were pulled from wrecks to be used in the future.

Add lots of penetrating oil for a week, and the head puller shown above will be a big help in getting it apart.
 
FWIW, just one (1) vintage way:

Have successfully removed quite a few heads which sat out of doors for over 10 years as follows:

1. Get an ice pick or similar tool to dig out debris/rust around head bolts after removing head bolt nuts.

2. Get Play-dough & build 3/4" high circular dams around all head bolts to "contain" fluid penetrating oil -- i.e., without a dam, soaking overnight translates into 3 minutes after the penetrating oil evaporated on the head's surface; however, the dam can hold liquid while you sleep overnight -- this is true soaking over night.

3. On all sides, with a screw driver, carefully & lightly tap on head gasket to mash it inwards about 1/16".

4. Cut about 25 small hardwood wedges, (hard maple, oak, ash, etc.,) with very low slope angles, & drive same between block & head with a small hammer.

5. If wood wedges get deformed, cut more wedges -- they are inexpensive.

6. Remember not to go too deep where valves occur.

7. Something will sooner or later give.
 
H. L. Chauvin said:
FWIW, just one (1) vintage way:

Have successfully removed quite a few heads which sat out of doors for over 10 years as follows:

1. Get an ice pick or similar tool to dig out debris/rust around head bolts after removing head bolt nuts.

2. Get Play-dough & build 3/4" high circular dams around all head bolts to "contain" fluid penetrating oil -- i.e., without a dam, soaking overnight translates into 3 minutes after the penetrating oil evaporated on the head's surface; however, the dam can hold liquid while you sleep overnight -- this is true soaking over night.

3. On all sides, with a screw driver, carefully & lightly tap on head gasket to mash it inwards about 1/16".

4. Cut about 25 small hardwood wedges, (hard maple, oak, ash, etc.,) with very low slope angles, & drive same between block & head with a small hammer.

5. If wood wedges get deformed, cut more wedges -- they are inexpensive.

6. Remember not to go too deep where valves occur.

7. Something will sooner or later give.
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The best penetrating lube I have found is PB blaster it works faster more thoroughly.
Todd
 
Jim,
Vermin's head was stuck beyond belief, with MANY rusted studs, that were almost like they were WELDED to the head.
Bought a cheep oriental meat cleaver that tapers from a knife-like edge, up to about 1/8" thick at the top. Sliced it into 4 wedges with a cut off wheel, tapped them into the headgasket packing material at each of the 4 corners of the head, being careful NOT to hit a valve!
After they were driven in all the way, we doubled them up at 2 opposing corners & tapped them in again. From there, we uses stacks wood shims & finally got it off, without damage, NOT even a scratch on the head or block!!
The Dog:cool: observed the whole PAINSTAKING ordeal & said, "I TOLE YOU WE WERE GOOD"!!:D:D:D
DON'T use pry bars, or FAT metal wedges!! A friend destroyed a LOW MILE, Ron Kelley engine, by prying a BIG chunk out of the side of the block!!!! & ANOTHER FRIEND DESTROYED HIS HEAD!!
Bill W.
 
RonC said:
This head puller works great and would be my first choice.
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Ron, NOT to belittle a great looking puller, but I don't think it would have pulled Vermin's head.
All the studs DIDN'T have the expected rust colored corrosion, instead, they had a dark, rough, charcoal colored corrosion that looked almost like they had been arc welded to the head????? Some kind of electrolysis or something????????
Afterwards, the studs screwed out of the very easily. The block had been nicely decked when it was rebuilt in 1987 by a reputable local rebuilder & is BEAUTIFUL inside, with "maybe" 50 miles on it! I have NO recorded history on the car, except for the rebuilder's BRONZE placque on the block! BUT I have a whole bunch of OOOLD pics that came with the car!! Vermin's ooold crackled Firestone tires still had the "NUBBIES" on the tire tread, even!! Bill W.
 
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James Rogers said:
1930 Coupe has the most logical suggestion. It may not be as stuck as you think.
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True, there are three motors in there and this is the only one with the head nuts down tight. The head puller has two issues for me. one it is about $80 on a $150 head. Second the motor is not mounted and I think it would just lift the whole thing.
 
Jim,

Again FWIW, with any method, something else:


Something important that I did not mention in reply #6 is that with very rusty & rough studs and very rusty & rough head bolt holes, the minute the head moves upwards about 0.015" or so, don't go celebrate with a six pack -- it is not over yet for very well rusted conditions -- speaking after experiencing very high humidity conditions.

The next very important step is to maintain the flat bottom surface of the head very close to parallel to the top flat surface of the block as the head is being carefully lifted in increments.

If these two flat surfaces happen not to be maintained parallel, in plan view, when one is looking down from the top, these rusty bolt holes will become elliptical & will get severely jammed on the rough, rusty head bolts -- remember you are trying to re-use this head -- patience.

When these two flat surfaces are not maintained parallel, the sharp corners of the bolt holes in the head begin to dig into the rust on "all" of the bolts such that the head will not lift even if attached to a harnessed five (5) ton East Indian Bull Elephant with a 72" wide behind, after he ate (2) bails of hay for breakfast -- remember "parallel".

Hope this helps.
 
H. L. Chauvin said:
the head will not lift even if attached to a harnessed five (5) ton East Indian Bull Elephant with a 72" wide behind, after he ate (2) bails of hay for breakfast -- remember "parallel".

Hope this helps.
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Wow, where do you even rent a 5 ton indian bull elephant, and why do you feel that is superior to the 5 ton African elephant?
 
jim1932 said:
... The head puller has two issues for me. one it is about $80 on a $150 head. Second the motor is not mounted and I think it would just lift the whole thing.
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The lifting eyes are not for separating the head from the block. The puller actually puts tension on the head via the head studs to push itself apart. It will separate even the most stubborn heads from the block, with or without the engine being in the car, on an engine stand or on the floor.

If the price bothers you, there is probably someone in a club near you that has one that you could borrow. I know that mine is loaned out most of the time to someone in our club. Last time I loaned it out, the guy that borrowed it suggested that I should just "rent" it out for a small sum, and in no time at all I would have recovered my cost.

The other part of the equation is that I always thought that the main reason for owning a Model A was an excuse to buy more tools.
 
jim1932 said:
I have read the tips for removing a head but my situation makes many of the methods useless. This is a motor that has been sitting for a long time and I assume it is shot. What it does have is a high compression head that I want. It has been sitting inside but with the manifolds off. It does have the spark plugs in. This is not in a frame or anything. So, I can't do the turn it over or rock the car. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
What gives you the idea it has a high compression head?
 
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