On the LS1howto website they say when they pull the heads, coolant will spill everywhere. Just to clean it up when done, would that still happen if you drained the block also?

 

Yes. coolant is in the passages. No matter what you do there will still be a small amount left in there.

 

It's inevitible...you will still spill coolant and get some into the cylinders, on the motor mounts and on the floor.

 

It will help but it wont solve it.

 

Draining the block makes a big difference in the cleanup chore of the cylinders. It's worth it IMO. Check out this link for wrench sizes and plug locations.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/335413-afr-s-fast-90-nw-90tb-poly-mounts-fast-rails-finally-done.html

 

does the engine have to be dropped out of the car to do the heads properly? mainly to tighten the back bolts?

 

Sure doesnt.

 

Thanks for the link Tampa, I appreciate the responses guys!

 

Technically I have heard that you can get a shop vac and suck the block virtually dry of coolant. I have noticed that someone posted about it a few months ago...I wouldnt worry about it too much. Just make sure that you clean your bolt holes out completely.

 

Tape a thick drinking straw to the end of a wet dry vac hose. Flexy short part towards the vacuum. When you vacuum out the holes, make sure the straw goes down to the bottom and dosnt get caught up where the threads start. You can clean out the bolt holes in under 5 minutes this way, no matter how much coolant is in them.

 

Use a shop vac or a miti-vac (which is what I plan). I just visited a friend yesterday who used the shop vac method, absolutely no coolant anywhere when the heads came off. You can also use the block drains, but I think pulling it out of the block through the water pump ports is the best way to go.

 

Pulling the drain plugs and loosening the coolant resevoir cap would reduce the amount of coolant that has to be cleaned up. The coolant can get all over things you don't want coolant on when you break the heads loose. You can also use your air nozzle to blast the water out of the bolt holes if you put a shop rag over the hole before you hit the trigger. You can also use a rolled up paper towel to wick up the last little bit of water, but if you use compressed air there isn't going to be a whole lot of moisture left in there.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/450774-head-swap-tips.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/451678-head-swap-no-coolant-mess.html

Shop Vac method is KING!

 

just did a H/C swap w/ engine in bay. no problems tq/stretching hd bolts. just make sure that all bolt holes are clean of any dibres/matter. I used old bolt and cut a slit down the length of bolt. cleaned holes w/ twisted paper towel till dry and I was able to screw old bolt all the way in/out by hand only. take ur time and double check everything. dont cut corners on this mod.


fuerzaws6