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Technical Cylinder head Removal

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by The Hyena, Jul 7, 2018.

  1. The Hyena
    Joined: Nov 29, 2004
    Posts: 141

    The Hyena
    Member

    ok gear heads i have a question:
    I have a 1966 cadillac 429 engine on a motor stand and its almost taken all apart (im a newb but im going to learn to rebuild an engine)
    anyway i got the passenger side cylinder head off BUT the driver side head will not budge!!! ive beat it with a heavy rubber hammer ive soaked it in penetrating fluid and tried again, there really isn't anywhere to pry it either. and to get in between the block and the head impossible i couldn't even hammer a putty knife in there.

    super new to building an engine long time hamber...
    help me out ?
    thanks in advance
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  2. evintho
    Joined: May 28, 2007
    Posts: 2,363

    evintho
    Member

    Pry bar in an intake port.
     
  3. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,751

    Deuces

    You sure you got all the headbolts out????....
    Let's see pictures of that side....
     
    squirrel likes this.
  4. Eddie
    Joined: Apr 2, 2006
    Posts: 562

    Eddie
    Member
    from Georgia

    Double check that all bolts are removed, count holes in head that is off, compare to be sure, loosely install two bolts in stuck head to keep it from falling off, insert pry bar in one of the ports, bump other end of bar with palm of hand.
     
    Terrible80 likes this.

  5. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,913

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My dad used to tell a story about when he was younger, he had an old Gardner automobile that needed a valve job. It was a flathead, and he could not get the head off. Finally, in desperation., he broke the head up with a BFH and a chisel. He said the head came off in several pieces, all except the one with the bolt in it.:eek:
     
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Took me a while to find the other two bolts on the first head I took off, too.
     
    dana barlow and 1927graham like this.
  7. A six way painters tool helps on this issue. Loose install two head bolts. Take a normal hammer and drive the painters tool in between the block and head. Much stronger than a regular putty knife.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  8. count the head bolts taken off. and compare the number to the other side.
     
    The Hyena likes this.
  9. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,751

    Deuces

    Yeah, I think he missed a couple..... It happens...:oops:
    I remember my first greazy disassembly project...:oops::(:oops::rolleyes:
     
    pat59 and loudbang like this.
  10. The Hyena
    Joined: Nov 29, 2004
    Posts: 141

    The Hyena
    Member

    I checked about 50 tomes to make sure all the bolts were off, the driver side came off (relatively) easy. All the bolts are out ... i I've also tries a pry bar in the intake that Mother F'er diddnt even budge.
     
    King ford likes this.
  11. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,751

    Deuces

    Ok, scratch that!
    How about posting some pictures of what's going on.... Do you have any brackets bolted on the front of the motor????
     
  12. Have you tried counting the bolt holes on a gasket or the head that you have off and then counting the holes you removed bolts from? Any chance the previous mechanic (?) used glue by mistake instead of gasket sealant?

    Charlie Stephens
     
    czuch and loudbang like this.
  13. PackardV8
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,170

    PackardV8
    Member

    How long was your bar?

    Get a BFF, give him a 3' crow bar in the exhaust port. You go with another 3' bar in an intake port. You lift up, he pushes down. Then you push down and he lifts up.

    If you don't have a BFF, hook the cherry picker chain from a center exhaust bolt hole to a center intake bolt hole.

    jack vines
     
    loudbang likes this.
  14. Does the engine turn over freely by hand? Any chance that things are rusted up inside?
     
    loudbang likes this.
  15. The BFH approach scares me, there is something wrong, it shouldn't be that hard. Have you had anyone else look at the project?

    Charlie Stephens
     
    loudbang likes this.
  16. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,404

    alchemy
    Member

    I would carefully wedge a sharp chisel in the middle of the head gasket layers, down on one end. That will help reduce the possibility of gouging the surfaces. Then tap it farther in between the head and deck. If that won't do it, go count those head bolts again.
     
  17. Can't imagine ..Where did you get this thing, out of a creek?
    Pee Wee Herman could probably get this thing loose with a breaker bar in a port and a cheater bar on it.
    Let's see pictures.....
     
  18. aaggie
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 2,530

    aaggie
    Member

    If the flywheel and starter are still there you might put the spark plugs back in and turn it over with the starter. I have "blown" stuck heads off. As others said, put a few loose bolts in to keep it from falling off.
     
    Beanscoot likes this.
  19. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    The BFF (best friends forever) scares me more the BFH. :oops: ;) :D
     
    czuch likes this.
  20. KenC
    Joined: Sep 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,045

    KenC
    Member

    First count the bolts. Then use some of the suggestions above.

    I think I've told this story before but: Back in the '60s I was working in my Dad's salvage when a guy came in for a 235 chevy head. His was 'cracked'. When he carried it in it was in two pieces! Broken right through that one bolt in the center of the head that's hidden by the rocker arm shaft. Bet you can guess the rest of the story.
     
  21. The Hyena
    Joined: Nov 29, 2004
    Posts: 141

    The Hyena
    Member

  22. The Hyena
    Joined: Nov 29, 2004
    Posts: 141

    The Hyena
    Member

    The engine turns freely and looks good ! no rust i turn the flywheel and eveything turns nicely

    ive heard stories about this, seen a video of a guy that lifted his whole car with a chain on the head.

    anymore ideas ? thanks for the reply's yall !!
     
  23. I was going to mention this, but really hard to follow the breaker bar with cheater.
    If you're going to try this, take off the rocker shaft and then squirt some oil in the cylinders before putting plugs back in . Hook the starter jumpers to a running car.
    If this doesn't work...maybe a jack hammer?:eek:
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  24. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,404

    alchemy
    Member

    That's not the original head, so we know it's been off before. Maybe the last guy installed the gasket with CopperKote. Did you try the sharp chisel like I said? Do the rockershaft bolts go into the head or the block (unlikely)?
     
  25. 32Dan
    Joined: Nov 22, 2017
    Posts: 137

    32Dan
    Member
    from Chino, CA

    I had the same problem on my 312 Y-Block a few months ago. I ended up getting a chisel/prybar and slowly and carefully hammering it between the block in cylinder head, trying to minimize any possible damage. Eventually it did free up and break loose from the cylinder head.
     
  26. Turn the whole assembly upside down over your foot and look away for a split second...that head will simply fall off at that point.
    Chappy.
     
  27. weathrmn
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 321

    weathrmn
    Member

    You might want to try this. Gentlty drive in a thin putty knife/gasket scraper with a beveled edge about 3/8 - 1/2" between the head and block. Get some wooden clothes pins, drive the wedges above and below the putty knife, pull out the scraper, add wedges and drive them in a little at a time along top and bottom of the head. for a little more force, stuff some small rope in the spark holes with the pistons coming up, turn the crankshaft and tap in wedges. Works with flat heads and model a's
     
  28. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    There are only 10 bolts and they are in 2 lines of 5 so it would be difficult to miss one. Push some rope into the front or rear spark plug hole, install a couple of head bolts and turn the motor over by hand. The piston should compress the rope and push the head up.
     
    Deuces, The Hyena, Chappy444 and 2 others like this.
  29. I like that, but use two holes at either end so it comes up evenly. If it has those hollow dowels, Kroil those up for a few days too.
     
    The Hyena likes this.

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