I've got a set of flatty edmunds heads on my workbench with the plugs soaking in pb blaster for the last hour, I put a wrench on a few plugs but they still don't want to move. The heads have been in a box sense 1968, so I expected this. Any secrets? Or just soak the hell out of them for a few days?
Can you heat'em up? Aluminum expands like crazy when it's heated(relitivley speaking). Just don't get it to hot. Try for a slow even heat instead of a fast concentrated heat. -Jeff
Heat, use one of those propane hand held torches. We use them all the time on the late model bikes, where steel is threaded into aluminum. Tim
WD-40 usually works really good on electrolosized aluminum for some reason.I used it a lot in the Navy to keep bomb rack mechanisms from seizing on aluminum housings due to salt spray. Another thing I've found that helps sometimes although I would be REALLY careful doing this on cylinder heads:Sometimes if you TIGHTEN the plug SLIGHTLY before trying to loosen it,it will break the seal and free up more readily.
PB blaster is for corrosion, not dissimilar-metal welding. Anyway, PB blaster doesn't work as well as Rust Buster or JB-80. But try the heat method. Also go ahead and try spraying with penetrating oil.
[ QUOTE ] put them in the oven, 'bout 350 ought to do it. [/ QUOTE ] The oven is the best method I know of it will heat all of it instead of one area.
AFTER you get the heads hot,hit the bolts with some JB-80,and,just as you are about to try to loosen the bolts up,smack'm with a hammer to help jar them loose. Works like a charm..........
"The oven is the best method I know of it will heat all of it instead of one area." True enough, but on a really shtuck bolt/plug etc, the system I was taught is to heat the surrounding metal(Propane or Mapp)to expand it and then shoot the bolt/plug... with electronics freeze spray or starting ether to try to contract it, then break it loose. If that don't work the other torch comes out and makes or breaks the day. PB
Got 'em! Missed the last 7 posts 'cause I was out working on em. A little heat gun action and they poped right out! Now, to clean the carbon out of the insides I guess I'll just use a carbon wire brush in a drill. I would gl*** bead them, but I don't want to loose the polished finish.
You are one lucky dude! I was waiting for this to turn into a thread repair thread! And with the anti sieze tip, it's also good to try to avoid removing plugs in aluminum heads when the engine is hot. I guess that problem is still a bit in the future...
Right now I have a similar problem getting my original temperature sensor out of the original cast iron flathead head that I plan to remove. I have replaced this one year ago with a new old stock sensor. But the damn thing just wont come out. Being a liquid sensor it wouldn't take much to break the tube going to it by prying and pulling. Anyone have any good solutions?? I have considered heating the head but those things are like heatsinks and **** the heat right away. I hate to break the thing. They are hard to find.
Petejoe, the ultimate weapon: A KR Wilson heat bulb removerator. I've got one. It goes into the '37-39 water outlet, and jacks up the bulb from the bottom. Has cup locations for 85 and 60. Definitely worth the trouble--good original gauges cost a fortune, and the Argentine random calibration model is over $100 I think!
[ QUOTE ] KR Wilson heat bulb removerator [/ QUOTE ] Bruce, thats sounds like a name you made up.. Well since I don't have one of these gadgets, I may just remove the head and torch the thing out Boy,You got all the fancy one of kind toys. Pj
I'll check tonight and see if I can find the remover--I could mailitoutthere. Meanwhile, try clearing out the blaster stuff and try vinegar on the problem--there may be water based deposits.
Ok will do. Thanks! for your help. I plan to take out the 21 bolt and put the newly risen 8BA in the 37 over the Christmas Holidays and it will be alittle hard to pull the 21 bolt out with a temp gauge stuck to it. Thanks. Will send my address by PM. PJ
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