"cylinder head removal kit"

[John Mason]

James this will not help one jot but I feel your frustration. It may make you feel better if you swear and curse the bl--dy thing. Try it it does make you feel better and what a feeling of success when eventually it comes off which it will I assure you.

John Mason.

[Chris KC]

Is it really too late to attempt an engine start? No need of coolant if you just run it a few seconds, and I wouldn't fret that much about an exhaust either - just need a spark and some fuel in the float bowwl. Failing that tow her a few yards?

In circumstances like this it's tempting to reach for a bigger hammer, and sometimes that's the answer. But it's best to slow down and think things through carefully.

[Andy Bennett]

Have you tried 'freezing' spray on the studs (assuming it is them causing the problems rather than head to block) in combination with heat. Taking it through the 2 extremes might help break a rust seal.
Andy B

[James Anderson]

It's a fine looking day contrasted by a bitter wind that has given me time to reflect on some of the entries, one in particular, Colin's appeals to me but maybe could be considered in a different way. Basically the idea of lowering rope onto the piston and using it to lift the head makes a lot of sense but obviously calculating the amount is tricky. On a variation on that theme, if you opened up the tappets gaps so that all the were valves closed and use a calculated amount (?) of hydraulic/automatic gearbox fluid and turn over the engine with the starting handle, would that appear to be a suitable proposition? Appreciate that it is using a generally disapproved hammer action that could impact on the crankshaft but I'm getting a bit desperate and don't relish the prospect of trying to drill out the full length of the 6 remaining studs or stripping the engine. Thanks once again for all those who have contributed to this thread.

[Colin Morgan]

Not sure if anyone has tried using a fluid - being incompressible it is not 'springy' - and it would rapidly escape past the rings (and the valves when pressure was applied)?

With the rope trick, though I have not used it, I would imagine that you could work out the approximate length of the rope needed from estimating the volume as length x cross-sectional area - and then, say, doubling it because it would not pack efficiently.  The max volume of a cylinder is known - about 200cc.  If the rope is 5mm diameter, it is 4cm length per cc, or 2cm per cc with a 50% packing factor.  A stick down the plug hole will shown how far down the piston is so the initial amount of rope can be estimated.

More or less rope can then be inserted depending on whether the engine turns over easily or jams?  The advantage of rope is that it is soft and squashy, whilst being resilient and retrievable?  Persumably someone has tried this in the past?

When I brought up my stuck cylinder head as a problem in 2009, it was suggested that I check I had removed all the nuts... it is hard to imagine that this could be such problem, but the head on my car had been in place since before 1970.  It still came off eventually, and a couple of times since.   

Colin

[Chris KC]

I did think about using a hydraulic lock but I don't know why you'd put in anything other than engine oil.
Most likely though I think you'd be unable to turn it (and if you upped the leverage you'd do something a mischief).
If it's really stuck that badly I'd bite the bullet and lift the block off.

[Hedd_Jones]

if you are going to do it that way, use a grease gun and nipple. but be warned, you will bend of break something very easily. Remember I have to do hydraulic tests on my steamer. In a very small volume you are from no pressure to an astronomical one in no time. 3 or 4 pumps.

If its that stuck it would be far kinder to take the block off and bludgeon the head off through the bores with a softwood drift and large sledge hammer. Resting the studs on a piece of hardwood. I doubt it would stand any more than two or three blows before it was loose.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I'm with Hedd on this one James, I have used the softwood drift up the bores trick and you have much less chance of breaking anything than you would using the other options.

After a week of messing around with penetrating fluid, oxy acetylene and everything else for the best part of a week, I had the head off in and hour and a half and it was all down to rusty studs.

[James Anderson]

Well its been a few days now since I last reported and thought I'd just tell you what happened. My silence is partly due to my not being exceptionally proud of the following account. On Thursday 28th Fox Wedges arrived from RJ Pryce at mid-day and their angle of attack wasn't narrow enough to be initially useful so I had to sharpen them. I had already resorted to an expendable 1" wide chisel and had to use it to creat enough width for the aforementioned wedges. Using the lift on T Bars inserted in the 1st and 4th spark plug threads via an hydraulic lift (see previous photos) approx. 3hrs later there was an enormous bang and the car dropped onto its axle stand (O/S front wheel removed to gain access from  the lift) and remaining wheel and the cylinder head flew off only when I'd gained about 1/4-1/2" lift of the head, the carburettor side with most of the remaining studs being the most  stubborn and inaccessible. 

Damage from using various implements was fortunately confined to the edges of the cylinder head, hasn't impacted on its overall surface and the block has been spared any damage as angle of attack with wedges was always horizontal if not slightly elevated. The only problem I've found that could've been responsible for the problem occurring in the first place was the very heavy deposit of carbon in the cylinder head stud holes that once drilled out enabled the head to be removed and replaced effortlessly. 

The reason for removing it in the first place was because I was trailing what I initially thought was smoke but it transpired was steam from the 1st piston has been effectively steam cleaned as a consequence! Performance was as usual terrific but I was getting through water and the only time the 'smoke' went away was when I had boiled off all the cooling water! John Mason has kindly been cheering me privately from the touchline and Jon E popped round yesterday to witness the event and I'm on the verge of reassembly of the studs and cylinder head weather, Mother's Day interventions and other disturbances permitting.

---

Thanks to your tip I got the head off and retained some degree of sanity...a Big Thank You , Fox Wedges now an essential tool in the 'special tools' cupboard!

[James Anderson]

I've just seen that I thought I was specifically replying to or thanking Colin Reed on his entry re. Fox Wedges but anyway, thanks to his and others advice, including a phone call from Robert Foreman, I got there. It demonstrates what a great platform the Forum can be.