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Re: Got my manifolds off, but the head is stuck

To: "William M. Gilroy" <wmgilroy@lucent.com>
Subject: Re: Got my manifolds off, but the head is stuck
From: Art Pfenninger <ch155@freenet.buffalo.edu>
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 13:26:25 -0500 (EST)
        I once had the same problem, seems the po had put a sealer on the
head gasket and it cemented itself to the block. I took out all the
cylinder head studs and
then the thermostat cover. I then drilled a piece of flat steel and bolted
it to were the thermostat housing was. Next I rapped a piece of cable
around this flat steel  and connected it to a come along. Using the come
along as
if I were trying to pull the engine I was able to pull the head off. I
think if I had loosened the engine mounts that the engine actually would
have been lifted, the thing was really stuck.
...Art 

On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, William M. Gilroy wrote:

> I finally got a chance to get the intake and exhaust manifolds
> off my 77 Midget.  The solution for the two bolts between the manifolds
> was to take a 9/16" open end wrench and bend it about 15-20 degrees.
> Then I could reach the bolt that was front from underneath.  The bolt
> in the back could not be reached from underneath due to the heat 
> collector (I'm guessing, the thing that is attached to the exhaust
> manifold and goes to the air cleaner) was in the way.  What I did there
> was to stick the bent wrench in between the two manifolds, and then use
> a big pair of pliers to spin the wrench.  
> 
> I now have the following off:  both manifolds, valve rocker, water pump, 
> and all 10 nuts holding the head,  but the head is still stuck tight.  
> Here is what I have tried:
> 
> 1.  Just pulling it off.  No go, I would need superman for that.
> 
> 2.  Install all four plugs, put back the head nuts and tighten them finger 
> tight. I then backed them off 1 turn.  The value rocker is off so 
> all of the valves are closed.  I then cranked the engine.  The 
> compression did not work the head loose.
> 
> 3.  I then removed all of the spark plugs and fed a bunch of clean
> cotton rope into the cylinders (two at a time).  I then turned the
> engine over by the big nut on the crankshaft.  Still no luck.  Since
> my crescent wrench had trouble staying on the nut I tried putting the
> car in gear and rolling it forwards.  The rope gets compressed and
> then the car stops dead. 
> 
> 4.  Gave up it was 1:30 AM and I figure if I kept at it I would
> just wind up making my problem worse.  For once I used good 
> judgment.
> 
> How can I get this thing off? How hard can I roll the car before
> I have to worry about bending or breaking a rod?  I could roll
> it down the driveway and pop the clutch :-)  I would bet something
> would happen.
> 
> Any ideas would be helpful.  I really thought that the rope 
> (another idea from this list) would work.   I just don't want to make
> my troubles or repairs bigger then they are now. 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bill
> -- 
> William M. Gilroy
> 77 Midget
> E-mail:    wmgilroy@lucent.com
> Telephone: 732-957-4775
> Fax:       732-957-4775
> 


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