Rebolting heads with same gaskets

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:52 pm

Due to various issues of location and equiptment availible, Im going to have to pull the heads off my engine before I take it out of the bay.

I cant afford to do my rebuild right now, but I want to start work on the under-manifold turbo intake and some other stuff.

Am I going to marr the surface or do any other damage by rebolting the heads to the block using the same gaskets and bolts? I wouldnt put it to full torque, just enough to hold them securely.

douglas vincent · Post by **douglas vincent** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:12 am

As long as you are reusing them, all should be fine.

206er · Post by **206er** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:14 am

sounds like a lot more headache than its worth to pull heads with the engine in. lack of a hoist or what? 2 reasonably strong people, a piece of pipe or 2x4, and some chain/rope/straps is all you need. a third person to help guide the motor out is nice to have.
if you are just mocking some stuff up and not attempting to run them, I'd say it would be fine to just bolt em back up. you might have to put a good amount of torque on them to get them to line up with the manifold correctly though.

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:18 am

You need to replace the head gaskets.....bolts can be reused.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:51 am

Legacy777 wrote:You need to replace the head gaskets.....bolts can be reused.

Im not reusing the gaskets, Im just bolting the engine together so I can work on my fabbing. The engine wont be run in that condition.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:52 am

206er wrote:sounds like a lot more headache than its worth to pull heads with the engine in.

It's actually really easy. After watching the mechanics at work do it a few times, it looks like it might actually be easier to pull the engine this way than with a hoist.

Matt Monson · Post by **Matt Monson** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:17 pm

Splinter wrote:
206er wrote:sounds like a lot more headache than its worth to pull heads with the engine in.
It's actually really easy. After watching the mechanics at work do it a few times, it looks like it might actually be easier to pull the engine this way than with a hoist.

I doubt it. I can get one of these engines out in less than 2 hours. You will spend at least that much time getting the heads off. Any equipment rental place will rent you a hoist for the day...

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:06 pm

And will they also rent me a truck to drive it 30 miles out to my place? and a piece of level concrete to set it down on?

The car is in the dirt on the side of the road on a 20 degree lateral slope.

sammydafish · Post by **sammydafish** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 2:59 pm

pulling the head with the engine in the car isn't that bad. It's easier if you pull the intake too, but can be done without (if you're doing onely one head). In any case, you'll need to pull the upper rear engine mount and jack the engine up quite a bit in order to get the head bolts to clear the frame. Plus, when torquing them down, reading a degree gauge from the angle you're forced to do it at is not to easy, but of course can be done.

sammydafish · Post by **sammydafish** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:01 pm

oh, and for moch up, just use the old gaskets, it's worth not accidentaly damaging a gasket and the difference in thickness is not significant enough to change the moch up on the intake side.

95LegacyLsi · Post by **95LegacyLsi** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:03 pm

quickie question to join onto this thread, and that is if reusing the head bolts should you retorque to full torque spec or just tight enough??

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:22 am

95LegacyLsi wrote:quickie question to join onto this thread, and that is if reusing the head bolts should you retorque to full torque spec or just tight enough??

Retorque to the FSM's specs.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:03 am

Hey, as an alternative for doing this, what do you guys think about pulling the intake, pulling the exhaust, pulling the oilpan, dropping the whole engine and tranny together onto a floor jack, lifting the front of the car, and sliding the whole thing out?

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:43 am

I've pulled engines and trannies like that before. But we left everything on it - Just get the front as high as you can, and leave the back end on the floor, and its not too much lifting.

dwreck30 · Post by **dwreck30** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 4:35 am

Then you would have take the crossmember and the steering rack out as well.

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 4:43 am

Well, the rack would go with the crossmember, but yeah. We were doing N/A to turbo swaps, so the crossmember had to come out anyways.

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Rebolting heads with same gaskets

Rebolting heads with same gaskets