I found a Ford flathead '59' block. It's all pretty much there, and the best thing about it is the pair of Offenhauser heads that are on it. Of course the block is stuck solid, and probably has been for the past thirty years. I'm in the process of trying to get it apart, but for the life of me I can not get the heads off it. It looks like somebody has tried before me and broken some of the fins on one of the Offies as well as putting some nice hammer dings in the side of it. Since I want to get them off cleanly, I've been gentle about it. For the past three weeks I've sprayed it down with PB Blaster, and sprayed that into the cylinders for good measure. So far it hasn't done anything to help. The person who tried this before me did get the head bolts out, and the nuts off the studs, but the studs are all still in place. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! This is driving me crazy. I don't want to pry on them and mar the aluminum surface, and I don't want to smack them with a hammer. I've even tried 'pinging' the studs with a ball peen hammer to see if I can get the vibrations to loosen some of the corrosion, but that hasn't helped either.
Try hooking an air line up to the spark plug holes. If the valves and rings can hold the pressure 120 psi air provides a lot of upward force on the heads.
I remember my father telling me that on the Canadian aluminum heads, when they corroded on, if they were real bad they used a hole saw that just fit over the studs (probably shop made with thin walls). Then they would either sleeve the holes in the heads or the preferred fix was throw them away and replace with cast iron heads. Canuck
Given the damage already done, they're probably not worth saving-but, the fix suggested by Canuck is a popular trick suggested frequently on the old V-8 sites. If the hole saw is "Just right" you might even be able to re use the heads. The picture looks like someone has already reversed them side to side-that big patch of missing fins looks like clearance for a head mounted generator bracket which, of course, should be at the left front corner of the engine. c
Those long, thin holesaws were manufactured for this job...no longer findable. I think you would need to find the smallest and thinnest steel tubing that will go over the studs and grind in some improvised teeth. Get hold of a Collet type stud puller...these can grip from the threads at the very top and have a ferocious grip. Snap On makes one, kit is maybe 120, you can get just the collet and threaded insert for flathead for about 80 by ordering from parts list. Think about making small wedges from maybe Lexan and tappin them in between the gasket coppers
Did you get all the studs out ? If they are out you can hit from side to side with a block of wood and a hammer . Have you tried driving a puddy knife or something similar in between the head and block ? Good Luck ! RetroJim
try filling the cilinders with oil and screw the spark plug in it works like a hydraulk ram it mite take afew tries to get the cilnder full
isn't there a post in the tech archives where somebody made a puller? www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=218487 i'd soak it a good long time before trying
I tend to agree with Dale, BUT if you want to try to get them off, I'd go with the putty knife first, then go to a long kitchen knife to get between the gasket and block. Have fun, but don't be too disappointed if they turn out to be just wall hangers.
I'll give some of these a try - the damage already done was done by the last guy trying to pull the heads. The other head is still perfect. I don't want to get any steel wedges or anything between the deck and the head. I really would like to save these heads if at all possible. New Offies are available, but I like the fact that these were put on that motor way back when. I've been trying to figure out if I can get a stud puller on those studs. There isn't much clearance between the studs and the fins. I'm considering the hydraulic ram idea. Maybe I can thread a piece of solid stock to go in the plug hole. Get one in each hole, fill with oil and see if it will work. With my luck it will just crack the head . . . but ya never know. ;-) The guys who had this thing run a bone yard, and didn't care too much about it. Everything in their yard is late 60s / 70s GM - Chevelles, Impalas, Novas, etc. All of them in various stages of rotting away. The flathead was sitting on a hood beneath a tree. Apparently, it'd been in that spot for ten years after being moved from another side of the yard where it'd sat for at least ten years before that. This should be a joy to bring back.
If all else fails and you're determined, you can remove the oil pan and rod caps and then carefully drive the pistons up against the heads(spark plugs out) and you should be able to slowly,and evenly,tap the pistons against the combustion chamber side of the head and urge them off with tapping on the underside of the piston crowns. Your pistons are likely junk anyway. Good luck!
Try rope in the spark plug hole? Fill the cylinder with rope/string and turn her over with a breaker bar.
I'd get five or ten sharp chisels, and do as Bruce said: tap them between the copper faces of the gasket. Start them all a little all around the head, and work your way around little by little, deeper each time. If you get the thing off the deck a half inch or so and it still gives you fits, you may need to slip a piece of steel (or a wide putty knife) under the head and pry up against it.
if you can get the plugs out,break of the porslen and weld on grease fittings.or make up grease fittings with plug threads.usually a good quality grease gun will put big pressure on each cylinder.you will need a case of grease from walmart.apply pressure equally to each cylinder.now weld a nut on your studs as close to the head as you can .weld the nut around the top.this will heat the stud down thru the head.when they cool try turning each one .the preasure of the grease is helping you..once one stud starts do the next.add grease pressure as you go.i have had to cut the stems of some of the valves, to get a good seal but we have saved some nice heads.you have to leave a little clearence between the nut and the head for the head to come up a little.hope this helps.this also works well to free up a stuck engine.but in that case you only put pressure on on piston that has just fired an is starting to go down.
He said engine was stuck...air and hydraulics no good. Collett type stuf puller is only hope...others cannot grip well enough or work with only the protruding tips.
Fill the cylinders to the top with water---fill the entire engine if you have to. Let it freeze solid this winter. Water expands as it freezes.---will lift the heads off.---will also crack the block---ask any Canadian who forgot antifreeze!!
is the block junk? if it is why not grind the block away round the edge of the heads to allow you to get something underneath the head then use a hammer and block of wood to try and move them from the mating surface. personally i dont think you will be able to use them due to corrosion inside.
+1 for the grease gun trick - that will make 10X more pressure than any mechanical puller or wedges. It will only work on the cylinders with both valves closed unless you can seal off the ports too
I called about that flathead on craigslist, but i was too late. Glad to see it went to a hamber. It looks like you saved me from all the fun.
why would you drill out studs? turn a nut on the stud down almost to the head.weld the nut to the stud ,use lots of heat, then turn the stud out.i just turned out 16 exhaust studs out of a set of big block chev heads. they were all broke off at the head. first i laid a galvanized washer to the studs and welded thur the hole in the washer.then welded nuts to the washers and they all turned out!if the engine is stuck then at least one or more cylds will have the valves closed.try the grease gun trick.the preasure from a grease gun will shock you.
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