9 replies to this topic

[A Wilkinson]

Rite iv spent the day tryin to remove my cylinder head
Despite my best efforts it will not come off, it is on so firmly that i could run the engine with all the nuts taken off!

Any suggestions?


p.s. iv tried turning ova the engine and it didnt budge!

[Big_Adam]

So you've done all the head and rocker bolts, also the bypass house is undone?

Take the head studs out too. either locking two nuts on the stud then taking it out or using a stud extractor.

[A Wilkinson]

I have taken everything off the head, i havent removed the studs, i can give that a try in the mornin.

[minivanman]

we had a problem like that with an old mg metty engine. The head had rusted onto one of the studs so in the end we just wound the head off the engine and drifted the stud out of the head. Don't think there would be enough room to do it in the car though.

[autotester]

I had the very same problem when removing the head on a 1993 1275 A+. The centre hole of the outboard row (i.e. not under the rocker cover) is slightly smaller in diameter and seems to corrode onto the stud. I was having the head and block machined after removal so I resulted to using tapered drifts to separate the head from the block. I was told though as previous to remove all the other studs and then spin off the head and stud together.

[Sprocket]

LOL, i have heard that soaking the offending stud (usualy the center one) in petrol, and then setting light to it does the trick.


Feel free to try this but dont come running to me saying your car is burnt out.


Im sure leaving it soaked in some decent penatrating fluid (PlusGas) overnight and a good knocking with a soft face mallet will do the trick. Your going to need a new stud though.

[Bill USN-1]

You might try pulling the plugs and drop about 3' of clothes line in the middle 2 cylinders. The rockers are pulled so the valves will be closed.
Then use a breaker bar on the crank and rotate. You can bump the pistons up and down the pop the head loose.

If the motor turn right over then you didn't use enough rope.

PS...this is also a very good way to replace valve springs and seals with the head still on!!!
The rope holds the valves up so they won't fall.

[The Matt]

You might try pulling the plugs and drop about 3' of clothes line in the middle 2 cylinders. The rockers are pulled so the valves will be closed.
Then use a breaker bar on the crank and rotate. You can bump the pistons up and down the pop the head loose.

If the motor turn right over then you didn't use enough rope.

PS...this is also a very good way to replace valve springs and seals with the head still on!!!
The rope holds the valves up so they won't fall.

I used to use a similar technique to change the valve guide seals on ford OHV engines, until we got an adaptor that allows you to fit the airline into the spark plug hole (which uses the compressed air to keep the valve up).

Ummm, if the head is rusted to a stud, you could always try two nuts on the stud and try to exctract the stud. Turning the offending sutd in the head will prolly be easier than trying to push the head past the rust!

[Retro_10s]

failing the above solutions mate the only other way of getting this head is by calling these guys.

[Big_Adam]

failing the above solutions mate the only other way of getting this head is by calling these guys.

But that means you have to find them. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire

Fear my crafty quote use!