head install cracked block?help
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 48
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head install help When i was installing my heads i thought i had all the coolant out of the holes for the head bolts but when i was on my final pass of the head bolts 1 bolt got tight then i hear a crack but then it lossend up then tightened to spec did i crack the block or did i just knock out the blinds going to the coolant jacket do you think i need to tear the motor back out?
Last edited by camaroz28nbm383; Mar 4, 2005 at 12:54 AM.
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Columbia Mo
Handy little trick I learned when tearing mine down, I remove the coolant crossover tube on the front of the engine and apply compressed air (SLOWLY) into one side with a finger over the other side and the radiator drain open, when you start getting just air switch to the other side. When I lifted my heads I had NO coolant spilled. Also I use Studs so I did not have to chase the holes, but I would recommend using a thread chase to clean them up if you have your heads off.
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Another good idea I did to help limit coolant getting into the bolt holes, was to loosen up the bolts enough to be able to lift the head up an inch or so, with the bolts still in their holes, and hold the head up while the coolant drained out (all over the garage floor!).
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: BFE
Just a stupid idea but here goes:
What if after removing the waterpump, we sucked the coolant out of the engine with a wet shop vac.
Would this help removing a big part of the coolant in heads before dissassembly??
What if after removing the waterpump, we sucked the coolant out of the engine with a wet shop vac.
Would this help removing a big part of the coolant in heads before dissassembly??
LOL u did not crack the block.
Did you clean the threads out before you installed the new bolts. I bet what happened is that the bolt got bound up on the old lock tight crap (orenge **** that is on the bolts) When it let go it made a realy loud pop right.
If the bolt got TQed to spec after the pop you are good to go. If you could not get it TQ to spec AKA you could not get a bite on the block with the bolt threads u cracked the block
I have done 10+ head swaps on my car alone. I have heard this pop many times. U are ok unless u could not get the bolt TQ ed and then streached.
Did you clean the threads out before you installed the new bolts. I bet what happened is that the bolt got bound up on the old lock tight crap (orenge **** that is on the bolts) When it let go it made a realy loud pop right.
If the bolt got TQed to spec after the pop you are good to go. If you could not get it TQ to spec AKA you could not get a bite on the block with the bolt threads u cracked the block
I have done 10+ head swaps on my car alone. I have heard this pop many times. U are ok unless u could not get the bolt TQ ed and then streached.
Originally Posted by PREDATOR-Z
Just a stupid idea but here goes:
What if after removing the waterpump, we sucked the coolant out of the engine with a wet shop vac.
Would this help removing a big part of the coolant in heads before dissassembly??
What if after removing the waterpump, we sucked the coolant out of the engine with a wet shop vac.
Would this help removing a big part of the coolant in heads before dissassembly??
I don't know that he cracked the block either. How much did you torque it on that pass? At what torque point on the bolt do you think the block would crack? I think if there's water in it, it would prevent the bolt from threading any further, and you'd end up with a false torque reading, and the bolt not properly seated.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Thanks for the info gobber35 thats good to hear and yes after the pop it Tqed to spec
nhrata01 after the first pass of the 90 degrees at about 70 degrees it poped then it was loose so i Tqed it to 22lb again then to 90 degrees then 90 degrees for the final pass
nhrata01 after the first pass of the 90 degrees at about 70 degrees it poped then it was loose so i Tqed it to 22lb again then to 90 degrees then 90 degrees for the final pass
Lastls1 there are freeze plugs that u can pull to drain the block. YOu can also pull the water pump and put a shop vac up to the holes and suck the water out.
camaroz28nbm383 The pop is normle if you dont clean the bolt holes out. If i where u i would go back and check to make sure u can not get your finger nail under any of the bolt heads. IF it happend to one of them it can happen to all. If one of the bolt are up u can take the chance of reuseing the bolts and head gasket but i would not. Take on of the old bolts and grind a V out of it to clean all of the crap out of them. Good luck glad we could help.
camaroz28nbm383 The pop is normle if you dont clean the bolt holes out. If i where u i would go back and check to make sure u can not get your finger nail under any of the bolt heads. IF it happend to one of them it can happen to all. If one of the bolt are up u can take the chance of reuseing the bolts and head gasket but i would not. Take on of the old bolts and grind a V out of it to clean all of the crap out of them. Good luck glad we could help.
