replace gasket on cylinder heads while engine is in bay

[signorc 31]

What issues will I have (if any) by removing my cylinder heads to replace the gaskets while the engine remains in the bay?

Thanks for everyone's input on this :)

[barnett468 418]

depends exactly what engine in what bay and whether it has headers or not.

[signorc 31]

69 Mustang Convt with 302. no headers. 

 

[Ridge Runner 1,113]

302 Not so bad ,big block ...problem!

[barnett468 418]

yup, piece of cake. it will drain some water into the cylinders and onto the floor when you remove them unless you take the threaded plugs out of the block but those are often rusted in. jut dry it up with paper towels.

loosen the rockers then remove the push rods . you can sometimes lift the heads out easier by grabbing the rocker arms but unless you are pretty strong you will need someone to help you.

remove the spark plugs first then remove the exhaust manifolds from the car so you can get to the head bolts. if it has headers, have fun.

do NOT put your elbows on the top of the fenders

[signorc 31]

Thanks for the advice :) i laughed out loud with the elbow on fender comment!!!

 

[Bob & Sue 110]

Yep not a problem I've done it many times only once on a Mustang. It's a slow process unless you want some dents in the fenders you'll definitely need help pulling them off the engine. Try wrangling a set of 426 hemi heads off & on a aluminum front end car by yourself. 

When you put it back together buy some  threaded rod and cut it long enough to be able to remove it unless your using studs. It will keep your head & manifold gaskets in place while you put them back on. Especially the manifold gasket has a tendency to move around you don't want to do it twice. If I were doing it by myself I 'd use an engine puller and save my back at least I'd take the hood & fenders off.  

[barnett468 418]

1 hour ago, Bob & Sue said:

Try wrangling a set of 426 hemi heads off & on a aluminum front end car by yourself. 

 

I wouldn't complain about that if I was actually the owner of that particular car.

[Bob & Sue 110]

19 minutes ago, barnett468 said:

I wouldn't complain about that if I was actually the owner of that particular car.

Yep I owned it in the late 60's 64 Plymouth Cross Ram Manifold 426 hemi with aluminum fenders & hood running in SS/BA NHRA B/MP National Record Holder for MPH bought it from Dave Wren when he lived in Montana and sold it back to him a couple years later when he moved to Washington.

Google his name. 

[barnett468 418]

10 hours ago, Bob & Sue said:

Yep I owned it in the late 60's 64 Plymouth Cross Ram Manifold 426 hemi with aluminum fenders & hood running in SS/BA NHRA B/MP National Record Holder for MPH bought it from Dave Wren when he lived in Montana and sold it back to him a couple years later when he moved to Washington.

Google his name. 

i think i hate you, lol.

[MAC390 327]

I  have a Ray Barton 528 hemi aluminum heads crate engine sitting in it's box for 6 years now  , was going to put it in the charger but it's all matching numbers.

Made a stand and started it up , sure is impressive.

[Bob & Sue 110]

11 hours ago, MAC390 said:

I  have a Ray Barton 528 hemi aluminum heads crate engine sitting in it's box for 6 years now  , was going to put it in the charger but it's all matching numbers.

Made a stand and started it up , sure is impressive.

Why just let a 15-20k engine sit find a newer Challenger throw it in there.

I've had 5 426 Hemi race cars 64 Plymouth, 70 Challenger & 71 Cuda a couple Keith Black 426 Hemi Funny Cars 66 Cuda & 70 Challenger Bodies on Race Car Specialties Chassis a 47 Fiat Topolino with blown 392 Hemi running AA/Fuel Altered. 

That was a long time ago. Still miss the adrenaline rush & smell of nitro. After several crashes broken neck & back I was told one more bad blow would probably cripple me. I'm still paying for it some days I can't get off the couch without help.

[MAC390 327]

Looking at 71 cuda as a new home for the 528 , got to finish the stang first.

Also have an original 69 ZL1 aluminium 427 with all the correct internals, had it since 1977 . that's my piece of muscle car history.

You have had some great cars and great stories to tell.

[Rsanter 152]

You will have to do the Work leaning over the fender.

that can be a PITB....

however it is likly less Work that pulling the engine.

 

you need to degrease and pressure wash the engine and compartment before you start. Working in a grimy engine bay is a pain.

 

if you have wanted to clean up and paint the engine and the bay, if you have other engine leaks, etc then pulling the engine becomes a decent option at that point

 

Bob 

[Bob & Sue 110]

18 hours ago, MAC390 said:

Looking at 71 cuda as a new home for the 528 , got to finish the stang first.

Also have an original 69 ZL1 aluminium 427 with all the correct internals, had it since 1977 . that's my piece of muscle car history.

You have had some great cars and great stories to tell.

My apologies for hi jacking your thread.

My vote is to pull the engine clean it up & repaint everything. Good time to wrap any wiring, change hoses and new firewall grommets that are a pain to get to. Clean repainted heads will make everything else stand out. It should save you time in the long run with less chance of damaging anything like fenders.

You should get going as quick as you can on the Challenger or sell it to me. Wish I would have kept the 70 Cuba or 71 Challenger, at the time I didn't see any reason they weren't street legal or titled had no vin number built for factory drag racing only without titles back then they were almost had no value. There's nothing like the rumble of a hemi firing up.

We bought our engines from Keith Black 426 Hemi Crate engine with shipping by rail $1,400.00 just add magneto & injectors. We ran an injected 426 in the 66 funny car before needing more power with a 671 blower ran a lot less nitro back then to try and keep the engines together usually 70% match racing. I've thought about building a 331 cu in alcohol injected hemi front engine dragster but don't see it happening unless it's a super cheap deal.  

[Bob & Sue 110]

On 9/30/2017 at 11:04 AM, barnett468 said:

loosen the rockers then remove the push rods . you can sometimes lift the heads out easier by grabbing the rocker arms but unless you are pretty strong you will need someone to help you.

do NOT put your elbows on the top of the fenders

Don't forget to number all rockers, push rods & lifters when you remove them or you'll be replacing your cam in a short time they already have a wear pattern, I do it with roller or flat tappet. I'd also use a good cam lube on them when you assemble it, it's not required but cheap insurance.

[1969_Mach1 333]

To get more coolant drained out of the block jack up the rear of the car when draining the coolant.  At least on my 351W that's helped eliminate spilling coolant when removing parts.

[69volunteer 84]

no offense, but the guy just needs to replace the head gasket for some reason and we got him pulling the motor, hood and fenders. Not sure all of that is necessary.

Definitely easier with two people to grab each end. Heavy lump of iron and you are bent over. May need to whack with a rubber mallet to loosen.

[Rsanter 152]

7 hours ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

To get more coolant drained out of the block jack up the rear of the car when draining the coolant.  At least on my 351W that's helped eliminate spilling coolant when removing parts.

What I like to do for pulling and engine or removing a intake or head is to drain the radiator an drain then blow compressed air into the heater hose port in the intake. This will blow much of the coolant out of the engine and into the intake for draining. Less coolant in the engine means less of a mess.

 

also for some of us that are getting older or have bad backs, I have gotten to using a cherry picker to lift the heavy intakes and heads off of engines verses using Armstrong 

 

bob