How to break heads loose?

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Arizona

Arizona

Former Yooper, always a MoPar fan.
Joined
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I am taking my 273 apart and am stuck on how to get the heads loose from the block.

I have all 10 bolts out (one left in but very loose). I have tried prying with long prybars into the intakes but haven't been successful. Any ideas on how to break them loose?

Thanks,
Jim
 
Dead blow hammer:
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I get under the intake side with a prybar and rest the prybar on the china wall and pry down. Works like a charm.
 
Take a piece of hardwood and place on underside of one of the head bosses which projects out some, where you can catch the end of the wood block and strike other end with a hammer.
 
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I always use a very thin putty knife (metal). You carefully place it between the head and the block and start tapping with a hammer. Eventually it will bury itself into the gasket and begin to separate the head from the block. If it's really stuck you might have to do this to more than one corner to slowly get it to come loose. I use the same method on intake when they are stuck. But it has to be a thin putty knife (scraper). FYI - Make double sure you have all the bolts out/loose, I've accidentally overlooked a bolt and kicked myself for it!!!
 
in the lifter gallery, there is 4 bosses, sticking up next to where heads bolt on to block, use a pry bar and gently pry up against the head, it will pop loose. keep a bolt in, to keep it from falling on floor.
 
done all these. do what ever works. if it's all iron your more likely to hurt yourself if something slips
 
I just leave my rockers on...the spring pressure does the rest...easy peazy.
 
Arizona said:
I am taking my 273 apart and am stuck on how to get the heads loose from the block.

I have all 10 bolts out (one left in but very loose). I have tried prying with long prybars into the intakes but haven't been successful. Any ideas on how to break them loose?

Thanks,
Jim
Click to expand...
 
Spray all around the head/block mating lines with a good penetrating oil and let it set for a day or so and then try the dead blow hammer again. If the engine is out and on a stand, flip the engine upside down and fill the chambers through the plug holes with something like Marvel's Mystery Oil and re-insert plugs to hold the fluid in. The heads will literally fall off after the oil does its job.
 
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Stuff a rope into a middle soark plug hole -4 feet or so and crank engine. Will push it off. Last resort i think.
 
I had some back trouble a while back. Before internet.
Used the shop crane to lift a head off.
 
On all but one iv done the pry bar done the trick! That one was a slant 6 i locked up idk what is was but it didn't want to come off i used a engine hoist and attached it to two bolts on the head while the engine was still attached to the k frame and started jacking it popped right off.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will find out in an hour or so if I can do it with one of these ideas. Mainly I wasn't sure how violent I could get with it - like "Should I use a large Ford Tool on it?" - or if I was likely to damage them. Looks like I can be much more aggressive than I was yesterday and use a big Ford Tool.

Have a great evening everyone!

Jim
 
Start 2-4 head bolts in a fair amount, and put an air fitting in one of the middle plug holes apply shop air. If that doesn't work move the fitting to one end plug
 
Treblig said:
I always use a very thin putty knife (metal). You carefully place it between the head and the block and start tapping with a hammer. Eventually it will bury itself into the gasket and begin to separate the head from the block. If it's really stuck you might have to do this to more than one corner to slowly get it to come loose. I use the same method on intake when they are stuck. But it has to be a thin putty knife (scraper). FYI - Make double sure you have all the bolts out/loose, I've accidentally overlooked a bolt and kicked myself for it!!!
Click to expand...

I decided to try this method first since it seemed to be the least traumatic to the heads, and it worked fine. Both heads were loose within 2 minutes. I had soaked it with WD40 this morning which probably helped. Working on both ends freed them quickly.

Thanks to all for the replies.
Jim
 
Arizona said:
I decided to try this method first since it seemed to be the least traumatic to the heads, and it worked fine. Both heads were loose within 2 minutes. I had soaked it with WD40 this morning which probably helped. Working on both ends freed them quickly.

Thanks to all for the replies.
Jim
Click to expand...
HEY, HEY, Hey...for once in my life I was right!!! LOL
 
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