What can I do with this one? Unable to loosen 7 out of 10 head bolts. After destroying three sockets, I broke down and got a compressor and impact wrench. The 1/2" impact wrench (Goodyear Racing) puts out 500 ft-lbs on the max setting - and still they will not budge!
Is there anything I can do to free them?
90 2.2 5spd
OK, got 4 more with an 18" bar! Wasn't even that hard really, these impact sockets must be alot stronger. What's with them little F*ing plates though, the ones that keep me from getting a good seat with the socket inside the head? Can I just pull 'em?
I hope you are removing them in the correct order or you can possibly warp the head....
95 Cobra
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I always use a thin wall 1/2 inch socket and a big bar to remove the head bolts. Sounds like the other sockets you were using might be cheapies.
The little plates are your pushrod guideplates, and with the correct style of socket you wont need to remove them. Not sure why you're pulling the head off your motor, but plan to have it resurfaced for sure if the head bolts werent evenly pulled out in order.
JLP
90 Cav<--- "1LE" MPFI car
79 Monte<--- 11.82 @ 112.72
Hey, it's off!
Pulling the head to replace the head gasket. Didn't pull the bolts in order - I thought that was only necessary when installing.
I'm going to try her without a resurface job. I simply don't have the time. This is my daily beater - and I don't have another car at the moment.
Anything else I should do while I'm inside the block? I bought the full Felpro head gasket kit, but I don't have time for a full re-build.
It'll probably be OK, but keep in mind if you dont have the time to get the head resurfaced now, its really gonna be a PITA when you have to re-redo the whole project again because you cut a corner the first time.... Food for thought I guess.
Other than that, make sure you replace the head bolts because they are 1 time use only.
JLP
90 Cav<--- "1LE" MPFI car
79 Monte<--- 11.82 @ 112.72
I hear ya. This will be training for me more than anything since I plan on doing a MPFI swap once I get a second car. At least now I know what to expect.
Got started on this whole thing because I failed my emissions test. I'll have another car in a month or two, but I have to pass CA smog now. After pulling the TB and IM, I'm pretty sure that the vacuum ports on the TB were just clogged. Oh well, maybe I'll get lucky and the head gasket will hold for a couple of months.
Hopefully it is fine but you gotta be carefull taking heads off...If it is warped you will blow the headgasket again pretty quick. You can take it by a machine shop and they can check it four less then 50$ usually. Or you could just throw hours upon hours of your time down the crapper when/if you find it is warped the hard way. (not to mention breaking other @!#$)
"If you don't have time to do it right. When do you have time to do it over?"
Just saying......good luck with it.
95 Cobra
Check out my site
Here it costs 30 dollars for a resurface and clean on a head. I would not put it back together withough at least a check on it.
SeriousZ, I have a question for you. I know you have replaced a head on a 2.2 from reading your older posts. I am doing a head on a 2.0 and had something strange happen. I noticed that the head gasket didn't seat exactly at the right rear corner (the area around where the #1 cylinder lifter valley is). Someone told me that this is not a big deal because all of the headbolts went in smootly and that this is not a pressure point. I would think that it is safer to re-pull the head and install a new gasket. I would also think that I could reuse the head bolts on this motor because it is a steel block, steel head, and these are not torque to yield bolts. Your thoughts? I also making an assumption that the 2.0 and 2.2 are very similar blocks.
Anyone else?
-Tom
Success - everthing's back where it should be and she's driving great. Never could have done it without this site - thanks guys!
