First time head swap
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
First time head swap Hello
I am about to do my first head swap for my Ls1 76 trans am ..
I just need to know what kind of special tools ill need for this process becuase i live in a place where i have to order everything online.
So what i have on my cart now is:
Tourqe wrench 20 to 150 lb
Angle gauge
Feeler gauge
Head swap gasket kit
I just want to know what i am missing so i dont have to order and wait another week again
Thank you.
I am about to do my first head swap for my Ls1 76 trans am ..
I just need to know what kind of special tools ill need for this process becuase i live in a place where i have to order everything online.
So what i have on my cart now is:
Tourqe wrench 20 to 150 lb
Angle gauge
Feeler gauge
Head swap gasket kit
I just want to know what i am missing so i dont have to order and wait another week again
Thank you.
Get a good assortment of extensions for your ratchets. I have two 18" ones that come in very handy with head work.
Get one of those 11" body boards for sanding body work to clean up the heads.
A good digital caliper.
Will the heads come prepped? If not you'll need valve spring compressor.
Get one of those 11" body boards for sanding body work to clean up the heads.
A good digital caliper.
Will the heads come prepped? If not you'll need valve spring compressor.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 403
Likes: 17
I'm speaking from experience here. blow the head bolt holes in the block out with compressed air, then take an old head bolt, grind two flat spots in the threads, then use that to chase the threads in the block.
I ended up using thin strips of paper towel twisted up to insert into the holes and soak up the coolant as well. I couldn't blow all the coolant and oil out, but once it was basically empty, the air dried them pretty well.
I didn't see new head bolts. The stock ones are use once. If you are ever going to do it again get ARP which can be reused or if you have the bucks get ARP studs as it's the best for an accurate torque and being nearly impossible to grind the threads in the block.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
Likes: 126
From: Monroe,NY
Use a straw taped to the end of the shop vac to suck out the bolt holes. The straw from dunkin donuts worked fine. I had all my holes dry in 5 minutes. Blowing it out doesn't work so great and the paper towel are a pain. I just checked for dryness with some long q-tips. To me the absolute worst part was cleaning the deck on the block. Everything else was pretty easy.
