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Cylinder Head Removal

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BRJ,
1. I have found that the studs on the pushrod side were little more than finger tight once the head was removed.
2. I would not be inclined to heat these studs 'specially if you plan to reuse.
3. Use the chain link Vise Grip to grasp and loosen studs to minimise deformation .
4. It helps to have the studs (at least one side/row) removed when cleaning away old gasket material.
4. If all else fails 'C4' or 'plastique' is the way to go.
 
I stuffed the #1 and #6 cylinder with the rope and was not able to get through the cycle - frankly I had removed the fan and adapter to get at the "special" bolt holding the pully onto the crank and was using that as the means for turning over the engine. This bolt started to turn as the piston compressed the rope. I was putting quite a bit of torque on it and was fearful of snapping it - which would be a real pain to fix. The studs that are giving me the most difficulty are on the intake side of the engine. I've got a spring setup comprised of an old bed boxspring support rail and some 2x12s spanning the engine bay and some tiedowns attached to the cylinder head to provide some upward force. I figure the combination of the tension, and rope in the cylinder, I hope to make some "headway"....
 
I think nobody has mentioned it yet, so this is either a bad idea, or one that rarely works - except it worked for me on my GT6 many years ago: have you tried just double nutting the studs and trying to back them off to break past the gunk on the head?

Randy
 
I have...The ones that are stuck are really stuck no luck there. I have managed to get the head up ~ 1/8" in the rear and pushrod side, yet the front manifold side is refusing to budge.
 
I resorted to using a friction nut that I drove over the top of the head bolts and used an impact wrench to break them aloose. Of course, this ruins the head bolts but they came out! (Along with a 4' cheater bar.)


Bill
 
Rock the baby and pry. Sounds no diffrent than my episod; added about a week to the project! Rock and pry,keep adding the liquid wrench or what ever you choose. Tap the studs with a hammer (hard rubber) hoping to get a little liquid wrench to penetrate the muck/rust holding the stud to the head. The rocking action was the only way I made any progress. Don't loose patients, just keep at it.
 
Well folks I finally removed the head. I ended up utilizing most of the suggestions proffered here. I bought a stud puller and with copious amounts of liquid wrench, torch, and the rope in the cylinder I got all but one of the studs out. broke the stud puller on this one, and after repeating all of the above techniques (and a comealong to slightly winch the head up) I resorted to a pipe wrench on the stud. Finally was able to turn it (I was amazed it didn't snap). I ended up removing the head with the stud still captured! I had to drive it out once the head was off. All in all it took a month of weekends to "lift of the head". Unfortunately it appears the oil control ring is stuck on #4 piston and will need to be fixed. So that is the next step - while I have the pan off I might as well do all the bearings. ---- The compression was good on all the cylinders prior to pulling the head, so I don't thing I will do all the rings...unless someone can offer compelling reasons to do so.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

J
 
Patients and persistence!! Good work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

You can get a brand new set of pistons with rings and pins for about $260. Frankly, I would not think of putting it together w/o new pistons, rings and pins, rod and main bearings as well as the tricky thrust bearing. If you really want to hve oil pressure when the motor is at running temp and at idle, see what trouble cam bearings will be. Gosh I like spending another fellow's money.
 
Ahhh, that feels better. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well folks I finally removed the head. I ended up utilizing most of the suggestions proffered here. I bought a stud puller and with copious amounts of liquid wrench, torch, and the rope in the cylinder I got all but one of the studs out. broke the stud puller on this one, and after repeating all of the above techniques (and a comealong to slightly winch the head up) I resorted to a pipe wrench on the stud. Finally was able to turn it (I was amazed it didn't snap). I ended up removing the head with the stud still captured! I had to drive it out once the head was off. All in all it took a month of weekends to "lift of the head". Unfortunately it appears the oil control ring is stuck on #4 piston and will need to be fixed. So that is the next step - while I have the pan off I might as well do all the bearings. ---- The compression was good on all the cylinders prior to pulling the head, so I don't thing I will do all the rings...unless someone can offer compelling reasons to do so.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

J

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeff, you have just gone through heck getting the head off your TR6. It is obvious that this head has never been removed. And you have a stuck ring yet. I kinda think that you might have some slap in some of those bores.
At least hone the cylinders and check for a perfect circle.
You might need them bored and new pistons. Really not that big a job for a good machine shop. Even if everything cleans up nicely and you don't need major block work, always replace the rings as a set. The few bucks you would save by only doing one ring set will come back and bite you.
 
Sage advice is always good advice. After discussing it at length with the machinist who is doing the head, and all the comments here, I'm going to have the pistons measured to get an indication of wear and replace all the rings and rod bearings...Like most things in life once you start you never know where you'll end up!

Thanks!
 
Sounds like there's been a whole lotta gasket sealer used on composite head gaskets over the years.

Do they make Teflon-coated head gaskets for these engines or are we still using 60's technology on this stuff?
 
FWIW;
Just received a top end gasket set from BPNW and the head gasket contained therin is composite.
Must be some British "thing" those old style gaskets. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Got my gasket from them in 2005 and it looked like metal, To which gasket are you referring? hope its not the head gasket /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif
 
way to go backroadsjeff,glad it did'nt beat you.glad to read you are changing rings etc,good move.there is a small risk in installing new parts,better than alternative i think.a good idea is to remove oil filter after run-in(normal procedure)cut open with metal scissors,inspect un-rolled card,you should see extemely small metal particles,if anything.anything more could mean a problem.also compression test just before start-up, and again after two hours.to check for broken piston ring.magnet near sump plug is good idea also.best of luck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Well, yes I do mean the head gasket VetteDog. Maybe a better way of saying it would have been "modern".
Technically all head gaskets are metal. Yea, there is sheet metal sandwiched in between graphite based composite materials.
However, when I think metal head gasket I think copper or modern layered gaskets such as Fel-Pro PermaTorque Multi-Layer Steel Head Gaskets which consist of multiple layers of stainless, rubber and who knows what else which generally separate cleanly and in one piece and require no 3rd party sealants to do the job.
Cheers.
 
The only 'sealant' I have ever used on a TR headgasket has been copper spray. More of a 'just in case' than anything else. They shouldn't even need a sealant. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Hi folks - for those in the US hope you had a good Thanksgiving! I was able to drop the pan and get the pistons out on the 22nd. As I suspected the oil control ring on #4 was stuck. Thankfully there was no scoring of the bore. I was also pleased to find no metal chunks in the pan, just the normal wear finings. What did give me pause was some pitting on one of the cam lobes. repairing this engine is like peeling an onion, the more you do the more it stinks! I need to stick a fork in this effort so the camshaft will wait until the next major thing breaks - hopefully by then I will have a proper work space and can pull the engine rather than doing it in situ.
 
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