15 replies to this topic

[JoeBodge]

alright,
ive got an old 998 that i started to take apart to have a look what goes where and how it works, and them hopefully i will have a go at rebuiding it.

i have taken off all the ancilleries and obvisuos outer bits
but ive got a bit stuck.
how do you get the head off the block?
it is really stuck.
is there a special way about doing it?
do you have to disconnect the con rods from the rockers?

thanks

[Big_Adam]

Con rods.....from the rockers.......nope. Missed somthing there.

As for the head. Take out all the studs and give it a squirt of oil down the stud holes. Hack the bypass hose too. Then get a mate to hold a bit of wood on the side of the head and crank it one.

One of two things will happen.

1)Head comes off, flys across the room and smashes into the floor.
2)Bugger all happens.

Oh wait, con rods....do you mean push rods? Take the rockers off then you can pull them out.

[JoeBodge]

yer- push rods/con rods - what eva they are called

"Then get a mate to hold a bit of wood on the side of the head and crank it one. "

what do you mean - soz - havin a blonde moment

[Big_Adam]

Crack it = FUGGIN HIT IT.

[The Matt]

If yer head is stuck, check the head studs for a build up of corrosion. If the head won't move at all, you can do one of several things. You 'could' give it a whack with a mallet, a gentle tap here and there, to try and loosen it. You could remove the studs if it is sticking on them, you could wind the pistons down a bit and then feed some rope down the sparkplug holes and GENTLY AND SLOWLY wind the pistons up until the rope pushes the head up from underneath.

Is this engine a total spare? Just a learning exercise kinda thing? Prolly the best thing to do is remove the studs to be honest. Wind a couple of nuts onto the stud, tighten the two together, wind the bottom nut up to the top one and remove the stud.

[Big_Adam]

If yer head is stuck, check the head studs for a build up of corrosion. If the head won't move at all, you can do one of several things. You 'could' give it a whack with a mallet,

Sorry, my way is the brute force and ignorance way of doing it.

[The Matt]

If yer head is stuck, check the head studs for a build up of corrosion. If the head won't move at all, you can do one of several things. You 'could' give it a whack with a mallet,

Sorry, my way is the brute force and ignorance way of doing it.

Adam my friend, there is nothing wrong with the occasional bit of BFI!

[JoeBodge]

yeah is a learning exercise really - dont mind if i damage it a bit.
where can i crank it over from, the timing chain end? the big nut?
as it dont hav any clutch assembly on.

[Dan]

You should have already removed the rockers if you are lifting the head so they shouldn't be engaged in the push rods any more anyway. If you haven't but have undone the head nuts this could be jamming it. The valve springs will be trying to lift the loose rocker assembly and if it does slightly lift the head studs can jam in the rocker posts as the posts twist. It is not too good for the assembly to remove it in this order, the rocker post nuts should be removed as well as the head nuts allowing it all to relax as one. Then lift the rockers off and then the head should lift off too. If that doesn't help, then try MMM and Adam's advice.

[Big_Adam]

If that doesn't help, then try MMM and Adam's advice.

I'll take that as a compliment.

[JoeBodge]

thanks for all your advice.
so i will take the whole rocker assembly off - including valve springs?
then lift out the push rods
and the head should come free???

thanks

[Dan]

Leave the valves alone. Once you have removed the small nuts from the front of each rocker post as well as the large head nuts from the rear of them the rocker assmebly will lift off. Don't loose any of the nuts or washers or the rocker shaft lock plate. Take care to disengage the pushrods as you lift, oil will tend to stick them to the rockers but they just pull away. The push rods must be kept in the correct order by the way, along with all other valve gear and preferably any head studs that come out. If you mix the valve gear up than once you get it all back together, if you want to run it again it will need to be run-in. Treat the assembly nicely while it is off the engine as with all parts. Keeping it in the rocker box is a good way to protect it.

[Jimmyarm]

Do you have a Haynes manual ?

Not being nasty but it goes through the whole process of disassembly in quite comprehensive detail and is a pretty much must have for anyone doing anything to their car.

[TEM]

I had to take the head off my 998 like 4 times last winter when I was having engine trouble. It's as per Dan (this guy knows his minis!). Heres a tip; get a piece of cardboard, using a screw driver, stab it 8 times in a line and mark each hole. Push each pushrod into each hole so you don't mix them up! When I did it; after unbolting everything from the engine including the rocker assembly and all the studs; I hit the block all the way around many time with a rubber mallet and it eventually came loose. The hardest part is having to do it while its in the car and the exhaust manifold and carb was a big PAIN to get off; Another HUGE pain was cleaning the old head gasket residue off the block.....

[stefaz]

i went with big adams way of removing the head from my engine - worked a treat, but it is out of the car and took a while with a block of wood and rubber mallet. easy enough though. Are you planning to do it in the car or take it out?