Hey,
I was just wondering if anyone has successfully removed the passenger side head on a 6.9L with a body lift? I also have ARP head studs installed? I'm thinking there might be enough clearance with a 3" body lift. Just wondering if anyone has experience before I try. I think i have a bad head gasket on that side......BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

better be looking at doing both, or you will be doing it all over again in the near future. It should be possible. If everything is off to do the one side, it isnt that much more to do the other side!

 

I asked the same thing about my 90 7.3 ( no lift) and was told to just pull it.

That way you can do all the gaskets, rods, rings,ect.

The heads are 110 lbs each IIRC, just think of trying to get that much weight and lift it off the block and out from under the hood.

 

It is comepletly possible with bolts without the body lift. studs would complicate the job without the lift, but I would think with your lift if you remove the air box it should be doable.

 

Check with crewdually He has done it and I'm pretty sure he is running studs.
Also there is a critical tightening sequence involving the studs that must be followed to eliminate gasket failure.

 

Yeah, starmelt. I think thats why i'm doing the gasket. I had to replace the other side because of that.......probably should have just done them both again when i did the drivers side. You live, you learn.....haha!!

 

When you quit learning it is tme for your friends to get dressed up and buy flowers. lol

 

As Star mentioned I'm running arp's. After removing the hvac side cover it's real easy to access all the studs and nuts. This helps big time when you reinstall the head because you don't have to put the stud in the head first, there is plenty of room to install all your studs and pushrods after you have the head in place. I use a 1 ton engine hoist to remove and install the head. I have a D-ring I bolt to the center of the head at the rocker bolt holes and this balances the head perfectly at the right angle too.
The other comment Star mentioned was the process for proper torquing. ARP recommends going through the proper steps and torque values, then loosening them up in proper order and retorquing 4 more times. So yes you would have torqued 17 nuts 5 times per side. But it is neccessary for everything to seat and "wear" in so the studs can hold the torque consistently. I ended with a torque value of 106ftlbs.


To remove the cover it is 6 screws(5/16 socket, IIRC), one nut (10mm) in the top right facing side of the cover, one bolt (10mm) accessed from the inside of the truck to unbolt the lower right side, a vacuum line, and a little metal clip that holds the halves together(you'll find it if you remove the other hardware mentioned first)

 

Hrmmmm, dually, so your saying to remove the studs then pull the head off?? Then when reinstalling the head, to put the head on and reinstall the studs???

 

Correct, it's tuff sliding off the studs, you'll run out of room. Just loosen the nuts and then unscew the studs using a hex key (5/16 IIRC). If the A/C side cover was left on you would have to pull the head with the stud (and rear pushrods) partially in the cylinder head because the stud couldn't be fully removed as it would hit the cover. Reinstall would be PITA.

 

I got ya. I'm probably gonna tackle it as soon as I get the torn apart snowmobiles out of the garage........the gift of winter in central NY. I'm gonna pull both heads and do both head gaskets again. I might even just pull the motor again.....who knows.

 

Let us know, I want to know how pulling the heads in the truck gos.

 

I'm thinking it should go pretty easy. When I get to it, I'll take pics of the process and post them. Probably won't be for another month or so. 3 snowmobiles in the middle of teardown. I'll keep everyone posted!!!!!!

 

Hey guys, I did the head gasket on the passengers side over the weekend. Having the body lift on the truck helped a ton. The head came rigt off and back on without too many problems. So, here I am!!! I drained the oil out yesterday to put new in and while it was draining, I filled up the coolant. Went to put the plug back into the pan and noticed fresh coolant coming out!!!! WTF!! Where could the coolant be leaking from? is there a possability that the oil cooler gaskets are leaking?? Or is it the other head gasket i replaced not too long ago? I'm really frustrated now!!!!

 

I would pull your glow plugs and pressurise the cylinders one by one and see if you get air in the padiator.