demonoidbuster

Has anyone succeeded unscrewing the head cylinder bolts? I already cracked one socket and I'm thinking if i should just leave the head gasket alone.

Go90go

I was able to get them off with some force on the old motor. I should've taken pictures of how badly the internals were f*cked before I threw it away. Just get some better sockets. Snap-On FTW!

~Cheers~

demonoidbuster

What do you men by the internals were fucked up? Are you talking about the head gasket? Are you saying that you damaged the head cylinder? I have Inline 5 cylinder model. But these bolts are tighten way more than I anticipated.

TLBaller

Dem: oh please take pictures of this project as you do it!!

demonoidbuster

I am.

demonoidbuster

Anyone ? what' s the proper tools you use to remove the head cylinder head bolt?

Go90go

I used a regular Snap-On socket, a ratchet, and my muscles. It shouldn't be as hard as the crank pulley bolt which is torqued at over 100 ft/lbs which I still got off without power tools. My pistons were a nice toasty black, the coolant sleeves were filled with oil and some gunky stuff, the HG was in a couple pieces, the head was warped, by the cam gear, a THICK black sludge was oozing out, and the camshafts were scratched up. Wrist pin was broken, too. It's what happens when you force it to go 8 miles after developing bad rod knock.

~Cheers~

demonoidbuster

This is what I'm afraid of. I don't think I want to do the resurfacing. too much hastle and money for me. But I'm afraid that I might distort the head when taking the bolts out. At least the socket was equally bigger and stronger enough for the crank pulley bolt.

But I'm feeling the 14mm socket just isn't good enough. One got cracked and rounded off the edge on a bolt a bit. I'm using the Craftman 3/4 socket sets. I felt very unsecured when I was twisting the ratchet wrench. I just felt and knew either the socket, the wrench or the bolt was gonna go. Did you use the impact socket?

By the way do you recommend that I replace the head gasket? My 2.5 five cylinder has over 160,000 miles on it, often pushing it over 120 miles per hour in my younger days.

What caused your head to warp? Is it because you didn't unscrew the bolts in proper sequence? Do you think that bad rod knock happened due to the damaged timing belt? Did the black sludge occured due to the cracked head gasket or bad valve timing?

I'm sorry I had to ask you all these because I've put considerable time on fixing and cleaning various parts so far but this head gasket job is by far the most scary thing I've encountered and there are ten bolts to deal with and the risk of warping the head.

Thanks for your time.

Go90go

I spun a bearing which caused the wrist pin to snap. The head warping was due to overheating (it was VERY SLIGHTLY warped), because I had a brand new timing belt in there. G25s are much less prone to BHG compared to the C32s, and I'm guessing the black sludge was from blow-by. I ended up with a cold-air intake with a filter SOAKED in motor oil. I had friends flanking me while I ran red lights for 6 miles, and stop signs for 2, and even they wondered how I could stand the smell of the engine behind the wheel! I was gagging, to say the least. The Craftsman stuff is actually good, and believe it or not, one Craftsman screwdriver was the lock on the chains I used to hoist my engine and tranny, haha. I just shoved it in the links and watched it bend, but support everything. I even lifted the front of the car with the hoist and pushed from behind to get my car back into my garage when it got too late/cold to work on it.

You said the socket cracked, or the bolt cracked? If it was the bolt rounding, it should be fine, but I'd keep ARP's number on hand just in case it gets to the point where you can't get a socket on it.

I regularly hit 100+ MPH on my daily commute, and 110-120 on my returns home. I've tried to slow it down recently, due to added warpage of my rotors after chasing a 645i onto the highway to 120+, then having to brake hard to get to my exit, haha. That girl was just teasing me... I know she was at MOST at 80% throttle to my WOT.

~Cheers~

demonoidbuster

A girl driving a 645i at 120+? Was she a middle aged woman?? Was it on a freeway 280?
Anyway my guess is that you have a 6 cylinder version. So far I disassembled everything including the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold. Not to mentioned the crank pully, water pump, starter, valve cover and you name it. All I'm left with is the head cylinder. But the weather is colder than summer so the engine block is grabbing the bolt threat more tightly than the warm weather. I heard a guy who couldn't take the bolt out with his 130lb impact gun. So he is replacing the whole engine with the JDM.

But how did your engine got over heated in a first place?

To recap cronologically what you've stated, at first you got a spun bearing due to the blown head gasket that leaked oil and coolant, causing the wrist pin to snap. Then due to the brand new belt that was tightened more than necessary made it worse off on the overheated engine causing the head to warp. Am I correct?

My Craftman socket was cracked, not the bolt. But the bolt got rounded a bit. Certainly I really felt like I was gonna snap the top of the bolt head. I'm doomed when that happened!

Go90go

Yup, 280, but it was a young girl in her 20's. I've got the V6, the 3.5 litre one from the RL.

BHG -> radiator exploding -> spun bearing -> broken wrist pin -> rod knock/blow by -> dead motor.

The timing belt was fine, and had nothing to do with the death of the motor. I ended up cutting the timing belt when taking apart the motor because I didn't need it anymore, haha. Taking it apart was for shits and giggles because it had been sitting in my garage for a few months not doing anything but take up space and act like a small table.

Try this:

Get some PB and spray lightly at the top of the bolt. Get a torch, and start torching said bolt and the immediate surrounding area. No need to have the flame too high, that's just a waste of butane. After heating the bolt/ring around it for a minute or two, grab some ice in a paper towel, and hold it with pliers on the head of the bolt. You should be able to get it out then.

~Cheers~

Go90go

Wait... Does your wife drive a 645 and did she tell you she was chased, haha?

~Cheers~

demonoidbuster

No 645 in my garage and not capable of afford one anytime soon. Well I guess it might've been worth while to display your phone number on your window if you prefer fast women. I'm sure she was fully turned on by the high speed introduction.
I think I better replace the gasket while I'm at it according to your experience, . Many advised me not to replace the gasket if it aint broken. I am the first owner of the car and that for the past 16 years the head gasket was never been replaced. But it seems like it's a ticking bomb.

Thank you for your tip. I actually thought about hosing down hot water on the engine and apply ice on top of the bolt head. But I think using the torch would be more effective.

Thanks for your expertise.

Go90go

^ No prob. Surprisingly, my girlfriend actually hates my speeding now. She had no problems with me beating a 2000 Mustang in my 88 Accord during a daytime highway pull. Now, she clenches the seat bolsters if I go over 65. The last time she was here in the US, I drove her around in the Range Rover so she didn't have to worry about going too fast, haha. That thing was so slow... All that started after I spun out on 101 in my 2000 Civic. Damn spare tyre and damn metal strip. I was only going 45 but the suspension was loaded from going up the curved on ramp... It was her first car accident, so it's understandable, I guess.

Good luck with that bolt.

~Cheers~