QuestionDick,
I have just begun engine work on my 1941 Packard Clipper. It has the straight 8 engine. While trying to change plugs, I sheared one of the plugs off, leaving the base in the head of the motor. So, since I was planning to "re-do" the engine anyway, I began by trying to remove the head.
I have removed all attached parts/systems except for the manifold. All head nuts have been removed. What I need is 1) advice as to how to lift the head from the engine (it is stuck on pretty well) and 2) any hints/advice you can give relative to removing the entire motor.
This email will be from my work email address (rich.terhaar@bldr.com) - the address above is my home address. Please respond to the home address, or both if you can.
Thanks in advance,
Rich
AnswerI'm sorry, I have no way to control how the allexperts service sends mail to you, and they don't give me any e-mail addresses. I see the one in your message, but that is the one you don't want me to use.
If the engine will still crank over, you can try popping the head loose by putting a about a teaspoon (don't use more!) oil in each spark plug hole and then reinstall the spark plugs. Then turn the engine with the starter, the compression pressure might dislodge the head. If you use more oil, you run a risk of breaking something, so be sure not to use more than a teaspoon in each cylinder.
If that doesn't work, you can try soaking some penetrating oil down around each of the head studs. What is holding the head is probably rust around the studs. A good penetrating oil might soften the rust enough that the head can be budged. PB Blaster is a pretty good penetrant, sold at AutoZone stores and probably others. Then try the oil in each spark plug hole again.
The next thing to try is to fabricate some metal straps with a hole big enough to thread a spark plug through, then put them in the spark plug holes and hook an overhead hoist to the straps, such as to lift the whole engine a little bit, straining against the weight of the whole car. Then try tapping on the head until you make it move a little bit. Once you get a small amount of movement, you can lower the hoist and tap the head back down again, then lift it again, repeating the process - you'll find the head will move a little further each time. Adding penetrant each time will help. You can also try heating the studs with a propane torch - this will powder the rust and help with releasing it. Don't use a MAPP gas torch, or an actylene torch, they get hot enough to do serious damage!
As a last resort, you can start with a bunch of small thin blades, like a putty knife - drive them in the seam between the block and the head. This will mar the block and head surface, but you probably have to have them resurfaced anyway. Once you get the tools to go in a ways, switch to two of them together, so as to widen the crack. This way, you can perhaps make the head come loose enough to lift off. The head is very heavy, be prepared to lift about 100 pounds!
Removing the engine is the same as any other car with a standard transmission. You'll have to remove the transmission, and then disconnect the clutch linkage. The engine has to move forward about a foot to clean the firewall, so you need to remove the radiator and the sheet metal parts in front of the engine, plus the fanblades. These engines are very heavy - if you have the 356 engine, it weighs nearly 1200 pounds, so be prepared for that! The little engine (the 282) is about 800 pounds, as I recall.
Put the head back on if you are going to pull the engine - the best way to lift the engine is to use a chain on the the head studs, but you need the head on there to avoid bending the studs.
Rent an engine hoist for the job, don't rely on your garage overhead beams or a cable type hoist.
Other than that, I can't think of anything that wouldn't be obvious.
Good luck!
Dick
