How hard to change heads?
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How hard to change heads? I can see that I will be taking the heads off of my 1999 Z28 soon. I think I may need valve guides. My qustion is how hard is it to take them off? I have headers. Three hours? more. Whats the hardest part?
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Here's a guide http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=3 . Time it takes depends on you, whether you have help, how easy your tools are to find, and how much patience you have. I plan on a day when I change heads, and usually have a buddy help. Sometimes it takes 2-3 hours, sometimes it takes 5-6.
Just taking the heads off from start to finish will only take about 2-3 hours. Disassembly is always easy, putting **** together is the hard part. Hardest part of head removal was getting to the bottom row of bolts on the drivers side with the header just unbolted. Had to get under and disconnect the Y-pipe so I could move the damn longtube out of the way. Manuevering the breaker bar can be tricky also. After that comes THE worst part of the job. Block Prep. Getting the holes cleaned out and deck cleaned is a freakin' nightmare.
me and a buddy did i, it took us about a total of 2 days worth of work but it happend over a span of a week, be really careful when u go to reinstall the headers the bolts holes can be stripped out really easy believe me i kno i have 3 of them that are cross threaded on the passengers side
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I would certainly budget a lot more than a couple of hours. I always set aside a full weekend and go nice and slow. Disassemble everything saturday, that way you can think it over in your head and "sleep on it" before reassembly on sunday.
I would say its more like 12 hours, especially for a first timer. Scraping the gaskets and cleaning everything out (bolt holes) takes a good long while...
I would say its more like 12 hours, especially for a first timer. Scraping the gaskets and cleaning everything out (bolt holes) takes a good long while...
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Kentucky
Originally Posted by Heat Treat Pete
I can see that I will be taking the heads off of my 1999 Z28 soon. I think I may need valve guides. My qustion is how hard is it to take them off? I have headers. Three hours? more. Whats the hardest part?
Originally Posted by jag42420
He's just taking them off, to get new valve guides. He isn't reinstalling them until after machining. Shouldn't take 2 days to take off. 2-3 hours with a buddy, with all the right tools and knowing what you're doing. 5-6 hours alone or running into problems.
1. Jack car up good and high and undo exhaust first then put it back down.
2. remove spark plugs
3. unbolt headers or what ever exhaust manifolds you have on there
4. PS pump bracket
5. intake
6 valve covers + coil packs if you have them on your covers
7. rockers and pushrods
8. dip stick
9. headbolts
10. take passenger head off
11. shift drivers side head and get ground connections off the remove head
12 cleanup sucks unless your already using arp studs
That’s it I believe. Reverse it and your done.
It doesn’t take long if your exhaust is in good shape and doesn’t hold you up and you don’t take or need breaks. Honestly given the proper setting I can see it taking no more than 3 hours. But that’s having it all laid out and having a lift and using an air ratchets and having the experience of having done it before so you know what to do next without hesitation and know the socket sizes and have good tools and a stubby ratcheting wrench.
I take breaks and turn it into an all day affair
2. remove spark plugs
3. unbolt headers or what ever exhaust manifolds you have on there
4. PS pump bracket
5. intake
6 valve covers + coil packs if you have them on your covers
7. rockers and pushrods
8. dip stick
9. headbolts
10. take passenger head off
11. shift drivers side head and get ground connections off the remove head
12 cleanup sucks unless your already using arp studs
That’s it I believe. Reverse it and your done.
It doesn’t take long if your exhaust is in good shape and doesn’t hold you up and you don’t take or need breaks. Honestly given the proper setting I can see it taking no more than 3 hours. But that’s having it all laid out and having a lift and using an air ratchets and having the experience of having done it before so you know what to do next without hesitation and know the socket sizes and have good tools and a stubby ratcheting wrench.
I take breaks and turn it into an all day affair
Launching!
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Kentucky
Like I said in my first post, I plan on a full working day working solo (8 hours) to remove heads. It never takes that long, and I feel good about being done on time. It also leaves plenty of room for 
and cleanup. Plan on a full day to remove, and a full day to install. Otherwise it WILL take that long and you'll be pissed.
Reinstalling the heads is the biggest pain in the a$$. Removal isn't too bad. Where it takes me 2-3 hours to remove, it takes almost twice as long to reinstall.
I just replaced a set of 305HO heads with a set of L98 aluminums on a SS Monte Carlo. Removed AND installed in under 5 hours. I grew up in a family owned machine shop removing, rebuilding and replacing heads and entire engines. I've been doing this for close to 20 years. If this is your first removal, I suggest picking up a Haynes or a Chilton for a guide, and taking your time.
and cleanup. Plan on a full day to remove, and a full day to install. Otherwise it WILL take that long and you'll be pissed. Reinstalling the heads is the biggest pain in the a$$. Removal isn't too bad. Where it takes me 2-3 hours to remove, it takes almost twice as long to reinstall.
I just replaced a set of 305HO heads with a set of L98 aluminums on a SS Monte Carlo. Removed AND installed in under 5 hours. I grew up in a family owned machine shop removing, rebuilding and replacing heads and entire engines. I've been doing this for close to 20 years. If this is your first removal, I suggest picking up a Haynes or a Chilton for a guide, and taking your time.
Yeah it's not bad i used the ls1howto write up and the biggest pain was getting my headers down to get to that rear bolt on the driver's side. I think we pulled the steering knuckle off to slide them down. Air tools would be great if you have them (for taking off not for going on).
Started H/C swap this weekend. Was my kid's b-day so I couldn't start until 2pm Saturday. Worked about 5 hours sat and maybe 7 hours today. Followed ls1howto.com and have the heads off and also pulled the crank pulley off. That means all intake, exhaust, radiator, etc is also off. Have done some cleanup on head gasket & bolt holes but not done with that yet. Proud to say I did it all by myself (radiator by yourself is a bitch). I have done a lot but there is a ton more to do. Not in a rush either.
The radiator took me about 10 minutes. By far the biggest bitch of a h/c swap has to be the gasket cleaning. My h/c swap took me a week in the summer, because I've never done it before, changed alot more than heads and a cam, and didn't move onto the next step until I was completely sure I had it 100% right.
That gasket cleaning took me 2 days, probly about 10 hours total. It was sparkly and shiny when I was done.
That gasket cleaning took me 2 days, probly about 10 hours total. It was sparkly and shiny when I was done.
