Head Removal Tips
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From: Medford, OR
Head Removal Tips
I have a 93 Bronco 351W that has a header bolt and an EZ-Out broken off in the head. I am planning on removing the head to take it to a machine shop, but this is my first time removing a head. I am under the understanding that I will have to replace the head gasket and head bolts. Can I just pick up a head gasket at the local autoparts store or is there something special I should look for? Where can I get head bolts and what kind do I need? Thanks!
Aaron
Aaron
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From: Indiana
I would do both heads at the same time. Have both heads milled. Replace head bolts are avail from the auto store but I would use arp bolts. Also get a head gasket set that will come with your intake and valve cover gaskets. The only gaskets I buy are Felpro.
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Elder User
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From: Medford, OR
Are the intake and valve cover gaskets required in the head removal process? What will getting the heads milled do? Will they sell ARP bolts at an autoparts store? After the 4 day long horrible experience I had installing the headers, partly because of this broken bolt, I would like to keep the install simple if possible. I am on a VERY tight budget and am mostly concerned with getting rid of this horrible exhaust leak, but would like to do anything necessary that I can afford while I have it taken apart.
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From: Indiana
Milling the heads will give you a good mating surface If your heads warp very much you will get a leak but if you don't have a problem with the heads now you should be alright. You will need the valve and intake gaskets. If you have a small machine shop around he might take the bolt out without removing the head. When I was a punk kid I tried about the same thing and the machine shop owner told me He would have come to me and removed it.
The most important thing I can tell you is not to be cheap when it comes to gaskets the Felpro are a little more but well worth it in quality. You can get all of these parts at a napa if they don't have what you need ask your machine shop.
The most important thing I can tell you is not to be cheap when it comes to gaskets the Felpro are a little more but well worth it in quality. You can get all of these parts at a napa if they don't have what you need ask your machine shop.
Fleet Mechanic
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When you reinstall your heads make sure you don't bang them into the gaskets. This is easy to do with the long reach and weight of the heads. Take a 2 X 4 X 8 wrap the middle of a chain around it and put a nail thru the chain to keep it from sliping. Attach tha chain to the front and back of the head. Have two people pick up the head by the board and walk it over the engine while you guide it into place. They can twist the board to change the angle. This makes a cheap engine crane and only takes a few minutes to guide each head into place without banging up the gasket.
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From: Indiana
Oil antifreeze thermostat gasket This is why I said to get a head gasket set.
Check the prices you can most likly get a better deal with the set. You need to check your hayes or chilton to see if those head bolts are torque to yeild bolts. The manual will give you the torque specs for the head bolts if they are torque to yeild bolts it will tell you to give your final torque of the bolt so many degrees of a turn. If it give a final torque number they are not torque to yeild and you can reuse the head bolts.
Check the prices you can most likly get a better deal with the set. You need to check your hayes or chilton to see if those head bolts are torque to yeild bolts. The manual will give you the torque specs for the head bolts if they are torque to yeild bolts it will tell you to give your final torque of the bolt so many degrees of a turn. If it give a final torque number they are not torque to yeild and you can reuse the head bolts.
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Elder User
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From: Medford, OR
The Haynes manual lists a torque number so I guess I need to get new bolts. I looked for the kit, but I can't seem to find it on Summit. Would I be able to find the entire kit at NAPA? Thanks.
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
You don't need to replace the head bolts, they are reusable. I think there are some aftermarket clamps available for just this type of situation. Ask your parts store. I know I've seen them for the manifold-to-exhaust pipe connection, since those are the bolts most often broken. But I seem to recall having seen some other type as well. Whether they will work on headers, I don't know but explore all possibilities before you go to all the work of pulling a head just for a broken bolt. As chris_ce says, talk to the machine shop first, maybe they can fix it with the head still in place. If you do wind up yanking the head, you might as well do them both as long as you have the engine torn down that far, especially if it has a lot of miles on it. The gasket set comes with both head gaskets, so you're not paying any extra, it's just more labor involved. If you're like me, you have more time than money anyway. -TD
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From: Spokane
Before you put the head bolts back in, give the threads a wire brushing and wet them with oil. I usually spray mine with WD-XX or some kind of light oil just before installing. That way they stay clean. They need to be wet not soaked. As you tighten them air should escape past the threads and the oil makes for consistant friction. This allows you to torque them up correctly. Maybe dip them in oil and then blow them off with an air hose.
Last edited by fordberg; Jun 9, 2004 at 09:20 PM.
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From: Medford, OR
I already called the machine shop and they said it would have to be removed. I will call around and see if I can find any other machine shop willing to save me the trouble.
TigerDan:
The clamps you are talking about would hold the header on where the bolt is missing to get rid of that exhaust leak? Any idea where I could look for those?
Thanks a lot for the help.
Aaron
TigerDan:
The clamps you are talking about would hold the header on where the bolt is missing to get rid of that exhaust leak? Any idea where I could look for those?
Thanks a lot for the help.
Aaron
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Elder User
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From: Medford, OR
I haven't been able to find any kind of clamp like you are talking about. If I could find a machine shop that would be willing to do it while it's in the truck that would be easy enough, but it has been hard finding any automotive machine shops, period.
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I wouldn't pull a head for 1 broken bolt. I have fixed several exhaust leaks on heads that had the bolt broken off in the head. For some reason Fords are terrible about this. You can probably buy a copper exhaust manifold gasket, and make the thing stop leaking. The trick is use arp headder bolts so you dont break any more off. Spray copper spray on both sides of the copper gasket and pull it tight. It shouldn't leak unless you are using some kind of weird headers, or unless you have something bad wrong with the surfaces. High flow exhaust system also helps the problem.
If you can get to the hole well enough to drill it for an easy out, why cant you re drill and tap it?
If you can get to the hole well enough to drill it for an easy out, why cant you re drill and tap it?
Last edited by ga302p; Jun 12, 2004 at 08:24 PM.