Stuck head

3

3082a

Junior Member
Alright I’m at my wits end with this thing, I’ve got a blown head gasket that need replacing and I can’t get the head off.ive soaked the hell out of the studs, had a chain between 1&4 spark plugs On the hoist with the front end off the ground tapping on the side of the head. Tried putting rope in 2&3 cylinders also and bounced on the crank and still nothing!
Is there a tool to make this easier? I’m about ready to start breaking the head and pulling off peice by peice from around the studa
 
A friend made one out of a 3/4 inch thick steel plate the size of a head gasket. He laid a head gasket on top of it and marked all the holes, except the very front two. Drilled the holes and tapped them so he could run bolts down threw the plate and reach the tops of the head bolts. He also made bolts that look like the ones the venders sell with their head remover. The ones that thread into the spark plug holes in the head. He also drilled holes in the plate to allow those bolts when threaded into the spark plug hole to extend up threw the plate so nuts on top of the bolts held the plate fast to the head bolts. Screwed the bolts that go threw the threaded holes in and the head will be raised With minimal effort and no damage as might occur using chisels and wedges. Cost is in the machining but he had access to a machine shop and the knowledge to make his puller with those machines. I believe all he really uses was a lathe and a heavy drill press.
 
Dave I believe a lot of guys use old spark plugs by breaking out the center electrode and porcelin. Get a long bolt and run it up through them and then through the plate.
 
First you have to get a lot of putty knives and screw drivers and some small wood dowel rods. Working at the corners, carefully get as many blades as you can between the head and block. Above all, have patience. It will come off. The dowels or blocks of wood are to keep from pinching your fingers when it does come up a little. Good luck.
I think I used 23 putty knives and 15 screw drivers. Just kidding.
 
I have a similar problem with an engine I acquired . I discussing it with a old timer, he suggested oven cleaner forced into the space (Clearance) between the head and the stud. Also tapping sideways on the studs with a non ferrous hammer (Lead, Brass, leather, plastic) helps to break up the corrosion's hold on it. At the same time, old knife blades must be forced into the seam. It can take a while!
Terry
 
Forget about the rope, and running the engine with the head nuts off. Neither of those work on a stubborn head. Try this. You need to have the water pump on. Lay the plain pieces of 2x4 on top of the timing gear cover. Bang the wedge in under the water pump. This should loosen the head to the extent that you can rock it loose entirely.
 

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Re: Stuck head-another reason for NOT using water in cooling system!

This is another reason why using water instead of antifreeze in the cooling system is really a bad idea !

Water gets into the area around studs and rusts the head to the studs ... antifreeze prevents the rust from forming in the first place.

I understand that if someone buys a car that they have no control over someone who used only water in the past.
 
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Recently someone posted a photo of removal of stuck head using wedges ...

One wedge was hammered between an open valve and the block.

The valve head was was broken off and the stem was bent

(This can also crack the block)
 
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If you use water, you need to add emulsified oil (water pump lube stuff) it will stop this as well as anti-freeze.
 
Terry said:
I have a similar problem with an engine I acquired . I discussing it with a old timer, he suggested oven cleaner forced into the space (Clearance) between the head and the stud. Also tapping sideways on the studs with a non ferrous hammer (Lead, Brass, leather, plastic) helps to break up the corrosion's hold on it. At the same time, old knife blades must be forced into the seam. It can take a while!
Terry
Click to expand...
That's pretty much how I removed my stubborn head. After that I made a head puller. I would buy or borrow a head puller. You can always resell it if you don't plan to use it again.
 
The head puller referred to in posts #3 & 6 is made by Bill Stipe and is available at most of the vendors. I have one and have used it several times very successfully, as have several of our club members.
 

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I'm with Carl in post #17

This head puller works very well and in my opinion is worth the $'s spent vs the frustration of using putty knives, wedges etc... too much chance of damaging the block, head and valves.

When using the puller on a stubborn head you are best off pulling the head up a short distance and then drive it back down before pulling it up a bit more. Repeat the process as you go. This helps break the rust bond and moving it up and down encourages the rust that has broken free to fall out of the bottom making more room for the bolts to slide through the head.

On really stubborn heads that fight the whole way the puller can not move it anymore once the head gets to the top of the studs. To get around this I ground the exterior tips off of 1/4" nuts so they are round and then place them on top of the 4 head studs that the puller pushes down on. The nuts will be small enough in diameter to fit through the holes in the head for the studs allowing the puller to move the head up a bit more (thickness of the nut).

I keep three sets of these nuts with my head puller.
4 single nuts
4 double nuts
4 triple nuts

What I mean by that is I threaded two nuts together on a bolt and welded them together for a "double spacers" and the same with three nuts for triple spacers.

By adding these sets of spacers the head can eventually be pushed all of the way off of the studs.
 
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