What's your "Go To" for a hard head?

[rockfla]

So what is your "Go To" method for removing a "hard head"? Stud motor (not bolts) in particular......and do you find the right harder to remove than the left? Mine is "loose" in the sense of "off the deck" but will not budge beyond that. AND the more I force the back of the head the "more" the front comes off!!! It's so close BUT yet so far away.

[David J]

33-34 Aluminum heads can be real stinkers about this . Yours is moving so tap it down and spray the studs with PB or whatever snake oil you prefer . Probably some buildup in the holes in the head binding on the threads .

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by David J

33-34 Aluminum heads can be real stinkers about this . Yours is moving so tap it down and spray the studs with PB or whatever snake oil you prefer . Probably some buildup in the holes in the head binding on the threads .

Three days of WD-40, PB Blaster & LPS 1.

[David J]

So much for the easy fix . Maybe a couple shims in the center and rock it front-back ? Finesse time ?

Originally Posted by rockfla

Three days of WD-40, PB Blaster & LPS 1.

[JWL]

I have a couple "T" handles I can screw into the sparkplug holes which can give extra pulling power. Usually if I can get some teeter-totter action on the head it will come off.

[oldford2]

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I made this lifter from old spark plugs. Helps to wiggle them but be gentle so you don't damage the threads.

Same as JWL's

[flatheadmurre]

I cheated a notch more...one slidehammer in each outer sparkplug hole.
Slidehammers lets you both pull and push the head back down....and some rustpenetrant of choice.

[Fordestes]

Since you can pull it up a small amount try using wood pieces under the ends ,sides ,top and bottom of the heads , pry up alternately as in a back and forth rocking motion, wood will not damage the metal and act as leverage , a rubber mallet and with the snake oil on the studs as you are already using. and a little patience.

[35fordtn]

I have used hooks welded to the base of a spark plug and used a slide hammer on the hooks..

The local flathead builder here uses air wedges (never tried it myself)

https://www.grainger.com/product/453...g!572999310232!

[rockfla]

There is NO "loose" what so ever in this head.....NONE......what "progress" you see pictured has come with "Extreme" Effort over two days....the front half "somewhat" easier than the back. AND when I say "Extreme" I am surprised as some point I haven't cracked the head. I am afraid, at this point....any negative travel (back down) will result in the same amount of effort required to get "Back" to where I am at now. I have once tried getting the head "as level" as I could BUT "any" effort to move it at that point was futile!!! What is puzzling to me is (and can be seen in my pictures) IS there in NO force applied on the front half of the head......all movement "there" has been achieved AS I have put force on and moved the back of the head??? The slide hammer suggestions are in my thoughts at this point but still open to ANY other ideas.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by 35fordtn

I have used hooks welded to the base of a spark plug and used a slide hammer on the hooks..

The local flathead builder here uses air wedges (never tried it myself)

https://www.grainger.com/product/453...g!572999310232!

Interesting. I've seen those wedges at Home Depot in the tool isle.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by rockfla

So what is your "Go To" method for removing a "hard head"? Stud motor (not bolts) in particular......and do you find the right harder to remove than the left? Mine is "loose" in the sense of "off the deck" but will not budge beyond that. AND the more I force the back of the head the "more" the front comes off!!! It's so close BUT yet so far away.

Have you thought about making some wooden wedges to tap under the head?

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Have you thought about making some wooden wedges to tap under the head?

Like this (see original post).

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by JSeery

Like this (see original post).

Haha. Hiding in plain sight

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Have you thought about making some wooden wedges to tap under the head?

Not only yes BUT it is at the point that ANY more force applied to them is "peeling" the wood back!!!!

[flatheadmurre]

The thing is not to put a crazy amount of force on it cause whatever is binding between studs and heads will come to a point and stopp...no matter the amount of force.
Wiggle them and the crud stuck in there will come out one tiny piece each cycle...not the best meditation but it works.

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by flatheadmurre

The thing is not to put a crazy amount of force on it cause whatever is binding between studs and heads will come to a point and stopp...no matter the amount of force.
Wiggle them and the crud stuck in there will come out one tiny piece each cycle...not the best meditation but it works.

K.R.Wilson made very thin hollow drills that went over the
studs and drilled the corrosive material out. I have a set of
these, they are about 3 inches long 1/2" OD and 7/16" ID.
You have to keep spaying to lubricate with Rust Buster and
working in and out to remove the junk and keep from binding
up the drill. I found these years ago at an EFV8 flea market
in Penna. They were in a wooden tray with other drills I think
I paid $3.00 for the works but I recconised the drills from
seeing them a K.R.Willson cat. G.M.

[35fordtn]

Originally Posted by G.M.

K.R.Wilson made very thin hollow drills that went over the
studs and drilled the corrosive material out. I have a set of
these, they are about 3 inches long 1/2" OD and 7/16" ID.
You have to keep spaying to lubricate with Rust Buster and
working in and out to remove the junk and keep from binding
up the drill. I found these years ago at an EFV8 flea market
in Penna. They were in a wooden tray with other drills I think
I paid $3.00 for the works but I recconised the drills from
seeing them a K.R.Willson cat. G.M.

These thin wall hole saws are neat and I would love to have one for engines with Alum. Heads. Wonder if something of modern manufacture is available.

[rockfla]

Okay, as of Wednesday 2/26.....I pulled all wedges and tapped the head back down. At this point I can "slightly" lift the front half of the head off the deck and grab it and the water neck and "rock" the head back and too. I can see PB Blaster getting squished out around the "Offending Lone Stud" (Very back, middle stud/Ground strap stud) along with air bubbles SO I know its getting down the stud. SO I push the head back flat and at that point use wedges to lift the head EQUALLY at all four corners. AT this point ANY upward movement of the back part of the head HAS TO BE done with persuasion!!! It WILL NOT move without "some" help. The front half or so of the head is free as a bird. The back half gets to were pictured below (1) and STOPS. Will not move beyond that point. I can pull all the wedges at that point and the head WILL NOT MOVE, WILL NOT ROCK BACK AND FORTH. STUCK!!!!! I can gently tap the front half of the head with the wood handle of the hammer and it falls freely back toward the block. The back have has to be "Persuaded" back down. I repeated this process "several" time INCLUDING trying to "persuade" the back half "more" at the point of sticking to NO AVAIL. I am trying not to have to remove the OFFENDING stud, as HOOP mentioned.....IF it breaks then I'm to the point of pulling the engine.......BUT every minute spent otherwise at this point has been futile at best. Photo (2) EVEN at angle just appears that there is not as much "free" space around that stud as opposed to the others???? Maybe its an optical illusion BUT it is "tight" to say the least. SUGGESTIONS?????

[Tim Ayers]

Hmmm. If you have access to a torch, heat the head side around the stud holes to see if they'll enlarge enough to get past the studs.