Honda Car Forum

I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
breaking free. Any ideas?

Crystal wrote:
>
> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
> breaking free. Any ideas?


----------------------------------

If the valves are all closed anyway (can't collide with anything),
wouldn't SPINNING it over pop that sucker off, or just crack it in
half? :-(

'Curly'

"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote in
news:443DDC85.63AD88DD@interbaun.com:

> Crystal wrote:
>>
>> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the
head
>> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a
plastic
>> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake
manifold
>> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB
blaster. Not
>> breaking free. Any ideas?
>
>
> ----------------------------------
>
> If the valves are all closed anyway (can't collide with anything),
> wouldn't SPINNING it over pop that sucker off, or just crack it in
> half? :-(
>
> 'Curly'
>

Honestly, this is my second takedown of a motor. My first was a d16
also and the head came right off. I didn't even have to tap it. This
one is like fused in place or something. I'm very interested to know
possible causes of this. Is it common? I realize the motor is old,
but it was taken out of a _running_ car not 6 months ago. I first
thought it may be warped but still it seems like there is nothing
holding it in place but it's stuck anyways.

Crystal <crystal@nospam.thankyou> wrote in
news:Xns97A47195B1BFcrystalnospamthankyo@216.196.9 7.131:

> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
> breaking free. Any ideas?
>


One common trick is to feed lots of rope down the #1 or #4 cylinder's spark
plug hole with the piston part way down, then crank it over by hand. The
piston compresses the rope, then (theoretically) levers the head off. If
cranking it by hand doesn't work, operate the starter motor.

It's possible somebody used sealant at the last gasket change, or corrosion
is holding everything together,

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote in
news:443DDC85.63AD88DD@interbaun.com:

> Crystal wrote:
>>
>> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
>> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
>> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
>> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
>> breaking free. Any ideas?
>
>
> ----------------------------------
>
> If the valves are all closed anyway (can't collide with anything),
> wouldn't SPINNING it over pop that sucker off, or just crack it in
> half? :-(
>
> 'Curly'

That worked just fine for me on an old 2000 cc Pinto engine, but I would
suggest putting in a few head bolts loosely so the head won't come off and
land on something expensive.
Scott

In article <Xns97A47195B1BFcrystalnospamthankyo@216.196.97.13 1>,
Crystal <crystal@nospam.thankyou> wrote:

> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
> breaking free. Any ideas?

Does one corner have protruding metal tabs where you can safely pry it
open with a screwdriver tip? My previous two cars had those for the
valve covers but I've never tried taking a head off.

scott wrote:
>
> "'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote in
> news:443DDC85.63AD88DD@interbaun.com:
>
> > Crystal wrote:
> >>
> >> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
> >> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
> >> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
> >> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
> >> breaking free. Any ideas?
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------
> >
> > If the valves are all closed anyway (can't collide with anything),
> > wouldn't SPINNING it over pop that sucker off, or just crack it in
> > half? :-(
> >
> > 'Curly'
>
> That worked just fine for me on an old 2000 cc Pinto engine, but I would
> suggest putting in a few head bolts loosely so the head won't come off and
> land on something expensive.
> Scott

------------------------------

I can just picture the laughter down at the Coroner's department as they
write up the 'CAUSE OF DEATH' paperwork: 'Hit in head by a flying Honda
head".

'Curly'
--
If there are a couple of _underscores_ hidden in my return address,
you'll have to remove them to reply . . . . Thanks.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
>
> In article <Xns97A47195B1BFcrystalnospamthankyo@216.196.97.13 1>,
> Crystal <crystal@nospam.thankyou> wrote:
>
> > I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
> > still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
> > mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
> > with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
> > breaking free. Any ideas?
>
> Does one corner have protruding metal tabs where you can safely pry it
> open with a screwdriver tip? My previous two cars had those for the
> valve covers but I've never tried taking a head off.


------------------------------

I can just picture the laughter down at the Coroner's department as they
write up the 'CAUSE OF DEATH' paperwork: 'Hit in head by a flying Honda
head".

'Curly'

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns97A45085BCFD9tegger@207.14.113.17...
> Crystal <crystal@nospam.thankyou> wrote in
> news:Xns97A47195B1BFcrystalnospamthankyo@216.196.9 7.131:
>
>> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and the head
>> still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it with a plastic
>> mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire intake manifold
>> with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the seam with PB blaster. Not
>> breaking free. Any ideas?
>>
>
>
> One common trick is to feed lots of rope down the #1 or #4 cylinder's
> spark
> plug hole with the piston part way down, then crank it over by hand. The
> piston compresses the rope, then (theoretically) levers the head off. If
> cranking it by hand doesn't work, operate the starter motor.
>
> It's possible somebody used sealant at the last gasket change, or
> corrosion
> is holding everything together,
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/


I use compressed air .

Guy

"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote in
news:443F80C5.DFFBA189@interbaun.com:

> scott wrote:
>>
>> "'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote in
>> news:443DDC85.63AD88DD@interbaun.com:
>>
>> > Crystal wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I removed all head studs, belts and even removed the cam and
the
>> >> head still won't come off. I even went as far as beating it
with a
>> >> plastic mallet - doesn't move a hair. Removed still the entire
>> >> intake manifold with no progress. Sprayed the hell out of the
seam
>> >> with PB blaster. Not breaking free. Any ideas?
>> >
>> >
>> > ----------------------------------
>> >
>> > If the valves are all closed anyway (can't collide with
anything),
>> > wouldn't SPINNING it over pop that sucker off, or just crack it
in
>> > half? :-(
>> >
>> > 'Curly'
>>
>> That worked just fine for me on an old 2000 cc Pinto engine, but
I
>> would
>> suggest putting in a few head bolts loosely so the head won't come
>> off and land on something expensive.
>> Scott
>
> ------------------------------
>
> I can just picture the laughter down at the Coroner's department as
> they write up the 'CAUSE OF DEATH' paperwork: 'Hit in head by a
> flying Honda head".
>
> 'Curly'

I got the head off finally yesterday. I took a fairly thin chisel and
picked a spot where I could hammer it (more like wedge it) into a
spot where it wouldn't affect the head/block seal, and then once I
got it in I pryed it open by hitting the chisel downward.

Now I have the same problem with another D16 I'm taking apart. The
transmission won't break free from the block. It's really pissing me
off.