Head bolt from hell...

[///M3///M5]

Any tips on getting the rear most, closest to the fender/booster, driver's side head bolt out. Mine seems to be torqued to 5000 ft/lbs. I broke a 1/2" drive and a swivel trying to get it out. I think the biggest issue is I do not have a straight shot at it.

Suggestions...

 

[jymmiejamz]

Use a hammer and dent the bulkhead enough for you to get clearance. I usually use a deep(I think) impact socket and a breaker bar because it allows for more clearance.

 

[Jkid]

I used a 6" wobble extension then 2 longer wobble extensions and a breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it. This allowed me just enough to get the socket on there perfectly straight and give me room to turn the wrench easilly. You can reach anything with enough wobble extensions, they're the best thing since sliced bread, I hate u-joints.

 

[ultrrunr]

Pray really hard and get someone to help hold the head of the ratchet while you use a 10' cheater bar.....mine was a big ole pain! The wobble extension was the trick for me too!

I just left it out when I reinstalled so I wouldn't have to deal with it in the future.....


:rofl: - Don't really leave it out. It would be funny if someone did though!

 

[Chris-St Louis]

Fill your Socket with Valve Gridning Compound.

 

[woody9wood]

Pray really hard and get someone to help hold the head of the ratchet while you use a 10' cheater bar.....mine was a big ole pain! The wobble extension was the trick for me too!

I just left it out when I reinstalled so I wouldn't have to deal with it in the future.....


:rofl: - Don't really leave it out. It would be funny if someone did though!

X2

It didn't take long for my buddies fingers to heal. Not sure why he never wants to help out anymore?????

 

[GreyGoose_01 Disco]

Try tightening it. Then Loosen it.
Are you using a 5/8 deep wall impact socket?

If you round it off then just tighten the bolt tell the head snaps off and you will be able to take the head off.

Oh and a pray never hurts.

Good Luck that one is vary difficult.

 

[mikep1250]

Any tips on getting the rear most, closest to the fender/booster, driver's side head bolt out. Mine seems to be torqued to 5000 ft/lbs. I broke a 1/2" drive and a swivel trying to get it out. I think the biggest issue is I do not have a straight shot at it.

Suggestions...

Had the same problem with my 02. Finally got it by doing just about everything that has been mentioned. And I wondered why my head was warped??!!

 

[OVERKILL]

I JUST did this...BIG 1/2" breaker bar. Short 1/2" drive socket, 1/2" drive swivel (not universal). Worked like a charm.

Tightening it properly is the trick...I had to use the same set-up after initial torque...

 

[Lake_Bueller]

Are all the other bolts out? When I've done heads on my motorcycles, you need to just barely loosen all the bolt before actual removal. The upward pressure from the internals will put a lot of force on that last bolt.

 

[peter sherman]

Ya hit that one first not last

 

[ptschram]

Ya hit that one first not last

BINGO!

When I suggested massaging the firewall, I was flamed for butchering trucks. One of the first things I noticed when I went to work for a dealer was the techs would routinely massage the bulkhead for access to that bolt:rofl:

 

[Lake_Bueller]

Is there an actual order that they need to be removed/installed? I know my Buells have a very specific order to the head bolts.

 

[jymmiejamz]

BINGO!

When I suggested massaging the firewall, I was flamed for butchering trucks. One of the first things I noticed when I went to work for a dealer was the techs would routinely massage the bulkhead for access to that bolt:rofl:

I remember you mentioning that, that is why I suggested it. I actually have never done that, I've never had any trouble getting to the bolt. I tried hitting the bulkhead with a dead blow hammer and it didn't dent easily so I just did it with a swivel socket.

 

[jymmiejamz]

Is there an actual order that they need to be removed/installed? I know my Buells have a very specific order to the head bolts.

Yes they do have a specific order to be installed, and its probably the reverse for removing them, but I'm not sure.

 

[Mongo]

reverse order of the tightening order.

 

[///M3///M5]

Thanks for the help guys. Ended up getting it out yesterday morning. I think I was a little tired of working on it at 4AM and was not going to get anywhere. Woke up and got it out in about 30 mins the next morning.

I am REALLY surprised it came out. The head of the bolt was essentially a circle when it finally came loose. I ended up using a 5/8 instead of a 16mm and that seemed to hold better. I also used a breaker bar instead of a 2' 1/2 drive and that helped since the head was smaller.

I am VERY surprised at how tight the bolts were. I had 3-4' of leverage and it still took a lot of muscle. I have done about 50 BMW heads that are torqued to essentially the same spec and never have seen anything like these.

Either way, heads are going back on in the next day or so. Machine shop did a full value job and cut for new guides for $250 for both heads. I LOVE our machine shop! Not to mention I dropped it off 10 mins before they closed on Friday (not open on Saturday) and went to drop off the seals that I forgot at the owners house this morning and he HAD the heads ready for me. Woke at at 5AM this morning to do them on his day off!

 

[///M3///M5]

Oh also...

Any advice on checking the lifters and rocker assemblies? I had an intermittent 'tick' that was REALLY loud. It really sounded like something was actually fumbling around in the heads. But as far as I can tell, things look great. One rocker assembly is darker in color than the other (possible replacement in the past? one side of the motor hotter than the other?). The darker one was on the side that ticked too. I really just do not want to spend the $400 to replace it.

The thing that bugs me is the fact that the ticking/knocking was intermittent. Only happened with the car warm, but there was no real consistency to it. If I drove a long distance it usually went away and I almost never heard it above 1500 RPMs or so.

Also, I found a few exhaust bolts to be slightly loose. Could that have been it? I have just never seen/heard of an intermittent exhaust leak. The cylinder sleeves look fine also (don't know how hard it really is to tell if one has dropped or not).

 

[agbuckle98]

Fill your Socket with Valve Gridning Compound.

what does that do? Does it help the socket "grip" better?

 

[jymmiejamz]

What year is it? We have been having a lot of 03/04 Disco's with the #5 cylinder slipping when hot.