Getting the damn head off

[thatphysicsguy]

So I'm trying to get the head off of my b25 to do the headgasket and the intake manifold just won't break free. I've got all the nuts off and the manifold is free of all the studs save for the long one in the middle. It seems to be running into the oil dipstick tube before I can get enough space to get it off the damn stud.

Do I have to take the dipstick tube out? It's the only way I can really see this working...How do I go about doing this?

[MR 325]

You should be able to bend the dipstick tube out of the way a bit and the intake will come free. Otherwise you can pull the dipstick tube from the block but sometimes it's a pain in the ass. I personally prefer to pull the head WITH the intake manifold when doing them.

[AndrewBird]

The dipstick tube is just a press fit with an o-ring into the block. Give it a tug or try and pry it out of the block.

[Swanny]

Getting the damn head off

I personally prefer to pull the head WITH the intake manifold when doing them.

Yup. Biggest pain in the ass on the m20 (in my opinion) are the underneath exhaust studs. Easiest way i've found to get those off are to use a pass through style ratcheting socket/cresent thingy from craftsman or the cheaper way is to grab these and put a crescent on them

[slammin.e28]

I personally prefer to pull the head WITH the intake manifold when doing them.

This. Keeps the hassle to a minimum.

I use a hoist to lift it off too. Fuck manhandling that. I want to put forth as little effort. Let the tools do the work.

[thatphysicsguy]

Yup. Biggest pain in the ass on the m20 (in my opinion) are the underneath exhaust studs. Easiest way i've found to get those off are to use a pass through style ratcheting socket/cresent thingy from craftsman or the cheaper way is to grab these and put a crescent on them

The exhaust was actually pretty easy compared to all the hassle the intake has been.

[goldenbb]

The intake has two nuts on the rail that runs underneath it that have to be removed--or one of the two attaches to a little plate on the dipstick tube. I just did this whole teardown last week. The intake came off pretty easily for me, I had a terrible time with the exhaust manifolds--every nut was seized to the studs, so I ended up pulling the head with the manifolds still on. I am now in the process of undressing the head so I can take it to a machine shop.