Head stuck to block with Copper Coat.


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By charliemccraney - 19 Years Ago
Hy everybody!

I'm attempting to pull the head off of my engine. I used copper coat when I assembled the engine. The head just won't come off. All of the bolts are out. Nothing else is attached.

I tried using a pry bar, an engine hoist, but that just lifted the front of the truck. That stuff really sticks. I don't think I need to use it again. I started to try to chisel between the head and the gasket but it didn't seem to work too well and I don't want to damage the head. Might it help if I remove the spark plugs to reduce any vacuum effect? I just thought of that.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should approach this?
By MoonShadow - 19 Years Ago
Is the starter still on it, and are the rockers still in place? If so, try putting the plugs back in and cranking the engine over. You might want to put a couple of long headbolts in the short holes to keep the head from getting away.

This used to work on the flatheads pretty well. Sometimes we would use a little ether or starting fluid squirted in the holes. The firing of the pistons would blow the aluminum heads right off!

By charliemccraney - 19 Years Ago
The ether ignites and blows it off.  That's worth a try.  I'll put the rockers back on and see if the compression alone will do it first.  Thanks for the tip.
By charliemccraney - 19 Years Ago
It popped off with the spring pressure alone!
By MoonShadow - 19 Years Ago
From tightening the rockers? Thats great, glad their off. And now for the rest of the rebuild! Chuck
By charliemccraney - 19 Years Ago
Yep.  One of the valves was most of the way open.  Another  was partialy open.  The springs are something like 110lbs seat, 270lbs open.  Must have been enough, in the right area, I suppose.

I was looking for something to plug the fuel line before turning the motor over.  I heard tink and water pouring out - I forgot that draining the radiator doesn't get the block drained all that well - so I'm thinking what the #$%^ just happened.  The tink was a couple of the pushrods coming off of the lifters.  It took about half a minute for me to notice that the head was loose!

I was hoping that it would not require a rebuild but a chunk is missing from the cylinder wall.  It's ok though.  I can do the things I couldn't afford to do the first time!

Thanks for the help.

By Y block Billy - 19 Years Ago
There is a product called "HYLOMAR" it was invented by Rolls Royce for sealing their heads, never hardens. in the turbine industry it was the only sealer they would use on high speed gear boxes. I have been using it since I discovered it about 15 years ago. You could probably assembe heads without a gasket and they would never leak although I have never tried it but someday may.

It is very labor intensive to spread though. Marston has a brand of it and I found two German cans of it on a job although I cannot remember the original manufacturer from the firt time I discovered it but I have removed heads that I have used it on and you can scrape the stuff off and roll it in a ball like bubble gum and then nearly re-use the stuff.

It has got to be the best product discovered by me in my 35 years of working on machinery.

By charliemccraney - 19 Years Ago
I got the other side loose today.  I figured that I should get it loose while the motor's in the chasis.  This side poped off with the spring pressure as well.  That's a tip to keep in mind.

I have not had heads stick so well on any of the other three Y's I have taken appart.

I'll be pulling the engine next weekend.