Today I had to remove the driver side head from the work truck I installed the junk yard engine into, but there's a head bolt on the very end of the head close to the firewall that I had a very hard time reaching with my 1/2" drive braker bar with a swivel, a shorty 15mm socket and a 2.5" extension even like that the socket didn't go all the way in.
The head is out but my question comes to how the hell am I going to torque the head bolt? I had a hard time just getting to it with the smaller head of the breaker bar I can't imagine fitting a torque wrench in there so what's the trick?

Pictures or didn't happen right lol..




See anything out of whack??






Yup that's right, they should be the same size it ran great but 3 weeks after install the driver told me there was a noise coming from the air filter, I heard it (loud popping) and suspected a bent push rod/broken rocker arm after diagnosing and checking for obvious signs and knowing it had great compression I suspected a valve and we'll... that's what you are seeing. I have spare heads so one is getting checked for straightens and have a valve seat installed.

 

hmmm, wobbly extension? any way a crows foot would help? Lift the cab a bit? This would be a good time for it to be a van.
What about a custom length extension or socket fitted (welded) to a 1 foot horizontal bar with a scrap socket welded to the other end to engage to the torque wrench then go online to calculate for the 1 foot offset and torque away.

 

Did you think of removing the motor mount on that side and dropping the engine down with a floor jack. That should give you the clearance you need. Just be sure to check for anything that can get squeezed!
Larry

 

I would want to put it together just enough to pull the motor. Those heads will be a real bear to install while not disturbing the new gasket.

 

I used the engine hoist on removal the gasket didn't get damaged, just that back bolt Jesus it's going to e a pain lol...I'll see if a wobbly 15MN socket works, crows foot is out of the question won't fit and won't work to well when I'm go and torque it. The motor mount thing might work I'll see when ever I get the head.