Removing heads

[HOTSIX]

I know some of us here have done this....so I need a little help.

As part of my intake / head porting project I took the D/side head off last night....wasn't too bad. Except for the add'l coolant in the head that leaked all over the place it came off smoothly.

How do you drain the coolant out of the head before you remove it ? Are there drain plugs in the block somewhere ?

The P/side head looks like a nightmare to remove. It's real close to the firewall and A/C heatshield near the back. How do you get at that head bolt between the sparkplug and firewall ????

Does it require removal of the downpipe and jacking the motor up ???

 

[turbowrenchhead]

Remove the header then get the downpipe out of there, then you will be able to get at the bolts.
You can take a piece of vacuum hose and stick in down the coolant passage and apply air across the other end to make a vacuum and it will suck most of the block dry. Or you can be daring and suck on it with your mouth.

 

[HOTSIX]

Ahhh ok.

Never tasted that stuff before. Little poisonous too...

Can't be much worse than gas !!!!

 

[WH1 85]

Actually antifreeze taste sweet. Thats why you have to keep the stuff away from kids and pets. They'll just drink it like soda.

But if it came down to it, your better off getting gas in your mouth. Antifreeze is extremely poisonous.

 

[HOTSIX]

I hear that.

I have a dog and whenever I spill the stuff in the shop...I get hot water on it right away....

Don't wanna be responsible for killing my dog whille hacking away at my car !!!!

 

[turbofish38]

One thing you might try is remove one or two of the front cover mounting bolts. If you look at the front cover there are four bolts with 9/16 heads that also go through the water pump. They also thread into the water jacket. Try removing the lower bolts. Enough coolant will drain out and bring the level down to deck height. If thats still not enough remove the very last head bolts on both banks. These are the short ones on the outer(exhaust manifold) side by cylinders 5 and 6. Than jack up your car as high as you can. Your'e not going to be able to drain it all but this will get half of it out. Of course if you have a 86-87 block you can just remove the two 1/4 inch pipe plugs on the side of the block.