Topic: Pulling a 6X head

[Andy78TA]

Hey everyone,
   I started taking my manifolds off today to make way for my headers and of course I broke a header bolt on the passenger side so now I need to take the head off to extract the bolt. I am gonna try to tackle this myself since I have 2 more weeks off from school but have never done this before. I pulled the valve cover off and will be draining the coolant but thats all I know to do right now. Does anyone have a step by step as to how to remove the head so I can do it correctly and more importantly put it back together correctly? Thanks a lot!
   

[jphillips3333]

Bummer - saw your other thread about how to extract it - hope that helped.  Nothing sticking out of course?  Which bolt on the passenger side - like #2, forward or #8, rear?

[Andy78TA]

The bolt that broke was the one farthest back. With 6 bolts it would be the last one from the front. I just can't win haha, its ok. Now is the time to learn some things

[jphillips3333]

So, there's nothing to get ahold of that bolt is what I'm thinking - nothing is sticking out?  Maybe someone has gotten to that area before I'd probably yank the head myself after carefully looking at the room.  Is this an AC car?

Removing (you should really buy a Hayne's manual - it's more detailed than this)
There's five bolts under the valve cover and five on the outside.  Drain the coolant, take off the intake manifold/carb.  Take of the center valley pan.  Unbolt any accessories off the front of the head, ground strap on the back of the head.  Remove the rockers.  Pull the pushrods out.  (Purists keep the pushrods/rockers associated with the right valve).

Unbolt the head.  Trash the head gasket.  Clean out coolant/gunk from cylinders ... look for wear in the cylinder bores, look for a cross hatch pattern.  If it looks tired, it might be time for a rebuild ... you're into it at this point.

[Andy78TA]

yeah definately nothing to grab, it broke abought halfway down the bolt i am guessing. And unfortunalte yes it is an AC car which is really screwing me over because I can't get to the middle header bolts at all with all my extensions and wobbles. (and I guess I can't pull the head until I get the manifold off right??) I just can't seem to get a good grip on them and it slips even with 6pt sockets. Also, what is the ground strap? Everything else I think I will be able to handle... hopefully...

Also I see the 5 bolts from the inside but are the other 5 bolts the ones that are holding on the intake manifold also? Thanks.
     

[Andy78TA]

Do I need to pull the intake manifold off? it looks like if I just take out the bolts I would be able to slide the head out? Also If that is not the case, I need to take the water pump off in order to take the manifold off correct? This is gonna be a major project

[Andy78TA]

I lied... I think I found the outside bolts you were talking about... they are the ones by the header bolts so again I have no idea how I am going to get to them.... and also Im guessing the threaded studs that the manifold is bolted to comes out of the heads so i will need to take the manifold out... im screwed

[caseyjoe5]

I just tore my engine down so this is all pretty fresh in my mind.  When you pull the valve cover off you should see five bolts.  The other five are by the spark plugs, they shouldn't be hard to get to.  The exhaust manifold bolts will be harder.  Maybe you can reach them through the wheel well.  My engine is out of the car so I didn't have to deal with those issues.  The bolts toward the middle of the engine hold the intake manifold on.  You will have to take that off also.  Just take it one step at a time and try not to get too frustrated.

[Mr. P-Body]

Andy,

   You REALLY need "the book" for this. The factory service manual will much more specific than the ones you get at Advance or AZ.

   The intake does need to come off. The water pump does not. There's a 5/16 bolt protruding from the the front of the intake, with a "clamp" at the water pump. Loosen the bolt (you don't need to remove it), remove the 10 "side" bolts, and the intake should lift straight up.

   There are 10 head bolts. As others have said, one row under the valve cover, one along the spark plugs.  Note where any "studded" bolts may be, as they must go back in the same holes.

   Under no circumstances, should you try an "EZ-out" extractor to remove the broken bolt in the manifold flange.  It WILL break, and once a drill bit or EZ-out is broken off in the bolt, it is a NIGHTMARE to remove.  You may be better off just taking the head to a machinist. And don't be afraid of HeliCoil thread repairs. When properly done, they're stronger than original threads in iron.

   Clean and dry is how everything needs to be for reassembly. The valley cover to the gasket is the ONLY place "glue" is needed for this job. No glue on the block "side" of the cover, thank you. No glue on the intake flange, either. Use the alignment grommets provided for the intake. Head gasket is also clean and dry.  If using a common fiber head gasket (Felpro, Victor, etc.), no "retorque" of the head is necessary, either.

   Use a wire wheel or ordinary "scraper" to remove the old gaskets. DO NOT use a "ScotchBrite" pad on a drill...  

   Have fun and be careful!

Jim

[jphillips3333]

Intake comes off as I said above, leave the water pump on per Jim's comments.

From what you've typed - it seems to me the exhaust manifold is still connected.

You need to buy some PB Blast - it's like WD-40 but better.  Let it soak - liberally spray that onto the bolts the exhaust manifold - spray above the manifold/head location where it runs through the manifold into the head.  It works great for rusty exhaust bolts.  You need to remove that exhaust manifold first if it's not already off.  When you get that off, type up what you see on the busted bolt - you might get lucky and have something left to grab.

I lied... I think I found the outside bolts you were talking about... they are the ones by the header bolts so again I have no idea how I am going to get to them.... and also Im guessing the threaded studs that the manifold is bolted to comes out of the heads so i will need to take the manifold out... im screwed

[Andy78TA]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I have been using PB blaster this entire time and soaked the manifold bolts for a few days before but it didn't help. I still have no idea on how to get to the center bolts on the passenger side though which is the problem. As for the head bolts the AC components are blocking the bolts by the spark plugs that I see. I think they are 13/16 bolts and I am afraid I am going to snap one of those too because Im not gonnna get a good grip on them

[Andy78TA]

Ok Here are some pictures to help out maybe...

First picture... to the right of the spark plug im guessing is one of the bolts for the head. correct?

second picture... this is the passsenger side manifold... how the hell do I get to these header bolts??? I truly have no idea how to get to these bolts because the A arm is in the way and the trans lines and the AC which is off its brackets right now


last this is the 3rd header bolt in on the drivers side... I can get a wrench around it on top but I think I need a 6 point socket on it because of the amount of torque needed and again the A arm is in the way....


Im dying here haha

[Andy78TA]

I have 5 out of 6 bolts out on the drivers side and 2 and a half out on the passengers

[jphillips3333]

Yeah, that's a corroded looking booger ... PB blast hasn't helped, eh?  Six point socket and a flex-head ratchet might get you to the one above.  Straight shot from the underside perhaps  (I've had to do this with headers)

Also,
There's always raising the engine by removing the motor mounts.  That gets you more clearance.
Finally,
There's the fix it completely scenario where you yank the motor and freshen up the entire engine all at once.  That's bucks, we all know.

[jphillips3333]

You're getting there.  Getting that driver's side off will feel good.  Also, you may have to disconnect any AC stuff - I can't tell from the photos but I know the brackets are bolted to the heads so it's got to be touched if it's there.

I have 5 out of 6 bolts out on the drivers side and 2 and a half out on the passengers