[ekancler]

I've got a friend with a 400ci block and the heads are stuck to it. All the bolts are out. Heads won't budge. Any ideas? Crank won't turn.

[lugnutx2]

Block of wood and a BFH, be prepared to catch it.

[PunchT37]

Put 1 bolt in for 1 or 2 turns. Put a pry bar in a port or 2. Pull up with force. The installed bolt will help your foot survive.

[i82much]

deadblow hammer.

[ekancler]

Originally Posted by PunchT37

Put 1 bolt in for 1 or 2 turns. Put a pry bar in a port or 2. Pull up with force. The installed bolt will help your foot survive.

I like the foot-saving idea. +1!

Is this at all normal or more likely a sign that there's something really messed up?

[b-man]

Be careful.

That head bolt in only a couple turns could break out the top couple of threads in the block deck.

Find a different way of keeping the head from falling on your foot would be my advice.

[tooski]

Here's one method:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...91#post6326391

[ekancler]

Originally Posted by tooski

Here's one method:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...91#post6326391

The scissor jack idea makes sense.

[ekancler]

Originally Posted by b-man

Be careful.

That head bolt in only a couple turns could break out the top couple of threads in the block deck.

Find a different way of keeping the head from falling on your foot would be my advice.

Good point. I was thinking maybe a couple bolts and maybe a few more turns.

[Stuart]

Put the bolts in all the way, and then just back them off slightly. You just need enough slack to break the head loose.

[TxSportCoupe]

I use two short 1x2 wooden “pry bars” in the port holes to wiggle/pry them off. Gives you leverage without damaging surfaces.


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[Half-Inch Stud]

Head bolts in the corners, hidden under a oil puddle.

[grandam1979]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Head bolts in the corners, hidden under a oil puddle.

I’m with you double check that you have all bolts out never seen a head stuck that bad.

[Sirrotica]

If you have 10 bolts from each head, you got them all out. The upper, outer corners can be covered with sludge, and be disguised, in older dirty Pontiac Stratostreak engines. I've had to dig out the sludge to find the heads on a Pontiac. Count your bolts so your sure you have them all, there are 4 around each cylinder.

In this overhead torque pattern sequence the disguised bolts would be 8, and 9:



They're in the oil drain back area that tends to form sludge over the heads.


In the past, I've used a 3 ft wrecking bar to break the seal, inserted in the intake ports. Some are tougher than others. A small bottle jack would also work across the valley, if you don't have a scissor jack. They will work lying down as long as they are full of fluid, and the pump is at the lowest side.

[Region Warrior]

All bolts out.
Good smack around outer perimeter of heads with dead blow hammer till see some movement

[BDH79TA]

And yes, it's pretty normal on an engine that's been together for many many years.

[thepontiacman]

Some gaskets used over the years seem to be sticky. Some aftermarket gaskets were like that.

Be careful.





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[lust4speed]

If the engine is on the engine stand just tilt it at a 45° angle where the block/head surface is horizontal to the floor. We've had a crowbar in the #1 & #7 exhaust ports but I guess you could also get a third person with a crowbar in one of the center ports. While a big four pound dead blow hammer works pretty good on intake ports, I haven't had much luck with it on heads.

[JSchmitz]

Feed a piece of rope into a cylinder and turn the balancer bolt or flywheel..