"cylinder head removal kit"

[Reckless Rat]

Will the engine start? If so try starting it with all the head bolts undone. It might be enough to get the head to part company with the block.

[James Anderson]

Sadly, we've been there with the attempted start business...should've tried that to being with but now too late! Thanks for everyone's contributions but I'm no further forwards. Combination of suspending and one of Jon E's extracting devices may work but sorely tempted by the wedges, fine edged ones don't seem to be available in the UK though.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Even if it won't run, turn it over on the starter on 12 volts.

Heat the head and block up with a few runs of boiling water first.   Plasticene very good for blocking off side outlet.

Simon

[Colin Reed]

Hi All,
Just to clear up a few things.
I was not advocating using standard wedges or chisels or crowbars
( Only ) Fox Wedges the difference is they only have the taper on ONE face the other side is flat
and the taper is Shallow 
Colin
 NZ

---

Hi James,
Search Under FOX WEDGES,

Cheers Colin
NZ

[John Mason]

James, Have you tried heat from a blow torch or blow lamp around the area of the head studs then whilst hot and hoisted strike around them with a hammer giving sharp strikes. I find heat is very good at releasing rusted items.

John Mason
P.s. Sorry for not getting your name right last time.

[Colin Wilks]

Hi James,

I used Ruairidh's system to good effect when hauling on T handles in the plug holes had left me sweaty and swearing. Have you given the idea a seriously good go? It does feel a bit dodgy with the bar having the potential to slip sideways, but if you use a stud nearest the plug to maximise leverage and put a nut on it flush with the top of the stud to increase your fulcrum area you really can lean on it with your full weight.
I have a wrecking bar like this, which has a nice wide end: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-26680-Tu...8394&psc=1

If that doesn't work I see Screwfix have a four foot version.
Good luck!

Colin

[James Anderson]

8 Studs out, later....still suspended = no joy! Remaining 6 seem stubborn at best, slightly wary of them snapping just above level of their jamming. As I've said before will probably end up taking the block off and hopefully whacking the head off from inside. Will take some measurements for a possible removal tool but not too optimistic. The central 3 and the outer water branch studs look to be the most guilty parties, just as well I'm not in a desperate hurry! Will be in 10 days time as the car is booked into a show at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum. Incidentally, I've tried R's 'Wrecking Bar' idea from various angles with all of my weight on it to no avail.

[Colin Ayre]

You need to think carefully what is going on. It sounds likely that there has been corrosion, the volume of the rust will be greater than that of the parent metal so any gaps will have been filled and a large horizontal force will be exerted between the head and the studs.  I was once told with an aluminium head to build a dam around the studs with plasticine, fill the dam with vinegar and then wait.  Keep topping up with vinegar and when it disappears the head will lift off.  Vinegar is equally as good with rust so this may work.  As an alternative, if you have a spare cylinder head, place it on the studs over your present. Head and use as a drilling guide to drill out the studs.  Violence should be very last resort, people have been sacked for using hammers.

Colin

[James Anderson]

Colin, 3 days later having soaked with Plus Gas and Suspended the head for upwards of 4-8hrs + levered...I've a feeling the last part of your message is going to happen! I'm not really enamoured with stripping the bottom end of the engine and dismantling if I can avoid it, so I have a spare HC head and will probably follow your excellent guidance...but not today! Too tired having also mown the lawn.

[Colin Morgan]

Hi James,

I have had this problem a couple of times with two different engines. The first time was in 2009 (with guidance from this Forum) when I finally resorted to wedges and was probably fortunate to get away without damage other than the gasket. The second time I used a puller that was eventually coaxed into moving the head. Both took days and whilst the head remains stuck on there was significant frustration - so I sympathise. One method suggested on the forum previously that I have not seen this time was the 'rope trick' - a length of soft rope (like old wahsing line) being lowered into one or more cylinders with the piston set low followed by winding on the handle to compress the rope and drive off the head.  The amount of rope is adjusted to allow the force to be optimised without the engine rotating uselessly or jamming. Perhaps someone here has used this successfully? Could provide some additional force without damaging anything?  Meanwhile, it is worth going easy to give the combination of load, penetrating oil, and side blows from a rubber mallet, or similar, a chance to work?  As you are probably aware, it is worth keeping a close eye on to see if there is any progress - the first signs of movement can be hard to see, but provide considerable encouragement, not to say relief. (I doubt that the puller I used could apply much more force than the weight of the front of the car, despite this being a bespoke designed item, and it did not do the job on its own. However, it works well to remove the head in more ordinary circumstances i.e. when it has been previously removed in the last decade or so.)

Regards,
Colin