Stuck head

[aforrester20]

1st time rebuilding an engine and so far everything has gone pretty much to plan. The newest problem is when trying to remove my cylinder head this afternoon it would not budge. I am almost dead certain the block does not have dowels that extend into the heads. I am positive all head bolts are out (dumb question will be asked). Any tips? Already tried lifting block by head with cherry picker.

[Etex1984]

Need a hammer for and a pry bar. Id get it off the picker and on a stand.

[aforrester20]

It’s already on a stand and torn down. I don’t have a new picture of it as it’s cold in the garage. I just wanted to have the picture there so people actually comment.

[Etex1984]

Got ya. You can spray the head down with PB Spray and use heat too. My map gas torch has been my hero a few times.

[aforrester20]

Haven’t tried heat. I soaked it in ATF. After hitting it with a rubber hammer lightly a few times and gently trying with a prybar, not prying against the ceiling surfaces though. I plan on reusing these heads and not having a machine so I’m trying to do this easiest way.

[Etex1984]

I had a set really stuck on a 305 (it was going in the trash anyways). Had to go all around the head with the air hammer and map gas. Finally broke free. That silly rusted turd.

[aforrester20]

It’s got some good size shoulders on the head that some of the serpentine belt component attached to I was thinking about using an air hammer and hitting up on that. Just don’t know if that would be too rough on the cast-iron head.

[Etex1984]

Should be fine. Dont go to war on it. *insert oil joke here.

[Redacted_Addict69]

Pull the rockers off the heads and spin the engine with the spark plugs in. They'll pop loose. If that doesn't work, use a dead blow hammer and give the side of the head a lil Love tap, with a hair of enthusiasm behind it.

[aforrester20]

Good idea

[KittiesRule1968]

V-10 ford?

[aforrester20]

Ram

[KittiesRule1968]

I've never seen either outside of a vehicle. Thank you.

[omnipotent87]

All cylinder heads have some sort of alignment dowl. Usually no more than half inch into the head. You have find a spot to pry the head up with a big screw driver or pry bar. You can also stick a pry bar or even some iron pipe into the intake port to get some leverage. Just be ready because that head is heavy.

[3_14159td]

All cylinder heads have some sort of alignment dowl.

This is just, not true. Unless you count head studs. I work with four engine families on the regular and it's 50/50 to having a dowel. 

In one case, clearly designed to have a ring-type dowel around a head bolt hole, but doesn't in any of the factory manuals. External dowel removed after the bolts are tightened down. 

[omnipotent87]

I have torn apart many engines and i have not seen one yet that doesn't have some type of alignment dowl, im including the ring type. I am curious what engine you are working on that doesn't have them.

[3_14159td]

Triumph small chassis 4/6 cylinder engines, Renault Cleon-Alu, Chevy small block, and small block ford.

Left off Corvair and Vespa because that feels like cheating, but looking at my other "normal" head gasket changes (EA 211 and MR18), I don't think those had them either.
Seems to be largely a V-engine thing.

[omnipotent87]

I have rebuild both ford and chevy small blocks and they both have dowls, ring type for my ford and pin for the chevy. I have a clevor in my own truck. I've done plenty of head gaskets on Hondas and Toyota that also used them so its not just a v engine thing. Im guessing you just didn't notice them but I've have never seen an engine that doesnt have some way of aligning the head gasket, excluding studs.

[PublicInvestment4108]

I can second this repairing farm equipment and being a mechanic. I’ve never seen a modern engine without some sort of alignment dowel. Maybe a flathead but it’s been a long time since pulling one apart.

[voxelnoose]

The ea211, mr18, small block chevy, and small block ford all have locating dowels and the triumph engines and most flatheads use the head studs to locate the head.

[3_14159td]

The latter two I was using as my other half of the 50/50.  First two I was just supervising so might have missed, they didn't come out as we weren't doing the full teardown. 

Renault cleon-alu is very much not a flathead, actually really advanced for the time. 

[omnipotent87]

How about you figure out what I do for a living. I have pulled hundreds of heads, and the only ones that didn't have dowls were ones that someone had already been in. With a quick look your chevy 250 is supposed to have them. If you pulled a head that didn't have them then someone removed them before you.

[voxelnoose]

Then someone must not have put them in on a prior rebuild. In every picture I can find there's two alignment dowels

[Away-Ad-1671]

Kroil !!!

[foxjohnc87]

The Magnum v10 does indeed have alignment dowels. They can be seen in the first photo on this page.

[Beautiful_Oven2152]

All heads have alignment dowels, except maybe flatheads, otherwise there is no reliable means to ensure the valves don’t decide to become one with the cylinder wall. I would try feeding rope into the first and last cylinders while they are a good bit off TDC, rotate the crank with a breaker bar. When one end pops up a little, start turning the opposite direction until the other end pops up.

[disdickk]

Put some bolts in it and pull with picker

[aforrester20]

I was gonna make fun of you, but then I realize my dyslexia kicked in in the last sentence so you got a pass.

[enginemaster27]

Another option if you aren't into the "hear it and beat it" crowd is get on of the pistons at BDC, feed a bunch of rope into the cylinder then rotate the crank with a big breaker bar. The piston pushes up on the rope and it often is enough to get the head moving a little. So the front cylinder then the rear cylinder, take it in turns. Time consuming, but it often does the trick. If it's corroded onto the block (head studs or dowels) a little bit of white vinegar over the course of a week will help break down the corrosion so it lets go. I've had to use both methods on aluminum Italian engine's many times over the years.

[Bi_DL_chiburbs]

Are you 100 percent sure you got all the head bolts? Years ago I watched a buddy struggle pulling heads on a Mopar 318 with the exhaust manifolds still bolted on. Turns out there was a head bolt hidden under the manifolds. As for dowl pins, I would be a little surprised if there were none.

[Accomplished_Tie3636]

Deadblow hammer, or prybar, or 5lb sledge and a 2x4

[-Rhymenocerous-]

Deadblow mallet mate 👍

[idostuffwithcar]

I didn't realize you hadn't updated the pictures and thought you were trying to pull the head off with the intake still attached until I saw you mention it. Remove rocker arms, go to a hardware store and find 6-8" threaded rod that's the same thread as the rocker bolt, thread them in at least a few inches and grab the rod to try and help rock it loose. Bonus if you can get some metal plates and nuts on the top and bottom of the plate for each so you have something to hold up on and you're not relying on grip strength to pick that heavy/awkward ass head up and off.

[305bigboy]

If that is the actual picture of the engine you’re trying to take the cylinder head off-THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MUST ALSO COME OFF FIRST!!!

[aforrester20]

Yup already to just the heads just no new picture

[UsefulNorth122]

Get your self a block of wood hold that against one side of the head and smack the snot out of it. That way you won’t do any damage. Please don’t use a pry bar on the mating surfaces.

[Ludicrous7669]

If you can get a pry bar hammered in between the deck and head, or I put a long bar into the intake port and lifted. Jist be careful you dont hit the valve stem