Just reset the engine to TDC and leave it there, the cams you will time when the head goes back on. Number 3 SP does look like its been opened up somehow, it would be impossible for that to happen during normal service.
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As an addition the cams are out a bit but itâs acceptable, it will make a slight difference in performance; either it will idle smoother but lose top end (I did that deliberately by the width of the notch, I think I advanced the intake cam), or it will idle rough but be a bit faster. Resetting is a trial and error thing once the head goes back in and that spark plug requires some explanation.
Thanks everyone.
I am now struggling to lift the head. It appears stuck fast.
I have managed to remove 10 of the 14 studs and all 6 of the timing cover end nuts and bolts. So it is just being held by four studs in the middle of the head which will not come out (they move in the top of the head, but the double nut method to extract them is not working). I have left them over night with some penetrating oil soaking down, and will put some more on shortly. I have tried a jack between the sump ridge and the exhaust side of the head, but no joy.
I am considering how I can lift the head off the block. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Dave
Have you tried two bottle jacks either side, and leave them there overnight.
Do you have a 2 ton hoist? They are relatively very cheap to buy.
I canât believe itâs necessary but there have been positive reports on hanging the entire front end by the head, with a crane. A thud after hours or days and itâs off.
Keep up the penetrating oil and give it time. Keep trying on those studs but not to the point of breaking. The second stud from the front on the left side should be a dowel stud, so usually wont come out through the head, but may loosen. The head may be stuck on that. Put some upward pressure any way you can - the cherry picker idea is good. whack it with a dead blow hammer. Be patient - it will come off. One other trick is to spin the engine and let compression break it loose, but you would have to hook the cams back up for that. I tried it once - still didnât break loose until most of the studs were out.
I had one, so stuck, that when I rehooked up enough to make it run, it still stayed stuck.
Had to weld nuts on every stud, and screw out/break off enough, that jacking with bottle jacks finally did it.
Two weeks of my life Iâll never get backâŚ
Thanks Ron, the second back on the right as you look back at the engine has come undone but will not come out of the head.
I am continuing with the penetrating oil and will let some diesel oil soak in for a few days.
Thatâs probably the dowel stud, that one will not come out the top from memory.
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Hi Robin,
I think the dowel stud is OK, second back on the right is lose but will not pull out of the head.
It is the middle two and the two behind those that are stuck fast.
I will be applying some heat in the morning, but canât see that it will help, and will try some thread lock on the two nuts and try to remove studs that way.
Then there is the engine hoist pulling on a modified spark plug and jacks underneath.
Why do we bother with these old cars???
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Excellent question.
Perhaps if I spent another 30 to 40 years in the car business, I might be able to conjure up an answer.
Or not.
I mostly use the spark plug lifting hooks I described to you earlier for lifting the head to install by myself or remove if loose. I did once suspend an engine by the stuck head using them (didnât work - still had to get the studs out), but better to use exhaust on intake studs for that, as was recently posted here. You donât want to have to have your spark plug threads remachined. Heat is worth a try, but I doubt you will get enough to the bottom of the stud to help. Squirt some PB blaster on it hot, though. Try tightening the stud a bit - if it moves at all, you will eventually get it loose. Be patient, keep soaking.
Iâm just theoretizing from top of my head, but as a TIG owner I would consider putting a short, domed nut (not touching the Al head) on stubborn stub and giving it some serious amps of arc for a few seconds - to apply heat just to this stud.
I hung the head ( and entire car ) from the roof and just hammered ( and hammered and hammered) the studs with a club hammer. Took hours, but eventually broke free. Once it starts moving youâll know and progress becomes quicker. Youâll need new studs, though
first try working the head up & down with a rubber mallet and wedges or jacks, in preference to going postal on the studs imo ( I recently welded nuts onto studs, and even that didnt work, I did so much hate drilling out work hardened grade 8 studs broken off flushâŚnot a Jag)
Some good news this morning. A jack under the exhaust side is lifting the head a little, enough to get a wedge in between head and block. Inlet side still seems stuck, but that side is a little difficult as the inlet manifold will not budge and the throttle linkage and pipe work are all in the way. Studs still stuck fast, but it appears the head is moving a little.
Thanks for the help and the encouragement (I am sure the comments like keep hammering, leave it for weeks, two weeks of my life I wonât get back, were all encouragement).
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Donât force it up while itâs cocked to one side, it will bind quickly. Better to work it up and down. It will be easier every time. For encouragement.
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Thanks for all the tips, advice and encouragement.
Great news, the head is now lose. Just need to move the heater out of the way to lift it off the studs that are still stuck fast. Then the task of removing them, could be fun.
Dave
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If the studs are in good shape when you get the head off, you do not necessarily have to replace them. Of course, the efforts to get them out may have already damage the threads.