Head install - tips, tricks? Advice?
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: NJ
Head install - tips, tricks? Advice? I found some decent articles on the net just doing a general google search. I'm thinking about doing my own head install, but not sure how much aggrivation it will be, and if I will have all the tools necessary and patience. I have a Fast 90/90 setup I need to install, so figure why not go ahead and do heads too.
I found these articles on head install:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=3
http://blackcamaro.com/headscam.htm
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ion/index.html
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ion/index.html
What are some tips and tricks everyone has done for a 2002 LS1 in particular that I could apply, and what are some special tools I will need in order to complete this task? Any additional articles out there or posts that will help me?
and I remember reading there is a way to not bleed the brake fluid and not have to drain all the coolant out of the engine. I'm looking to just do a straight swap as painless as possible.
Thanks for any help!
I found these articles on head install:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=3
http://blackcamaro.com/headscam.htm
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ion/index.html
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ion/index.html
What are some tips and tricks everyone has done for a 2002 LS1 in particular that I could apply, and what are some special tools I will need in order to complete this task? Any additional articles out there or posts that will help me?
and I remember reading there is a way to not bleed the brake fluid and not have to drain all the coolant out of the engine. I'm looking to just do a straight swap as painless as possible.
Thanks for any help!
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: NJ
Confused on this part, as haven't done a head install yet, but using the shop vac where in the process, before/after head removal?
After you remove the heads,,coolant will end up going everywhere,,cylinders, bolt holes,,etc. You must get all this cleaned up. If you were to install bolts with coolant in the holes, your gonna start breakin stuff
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From: NJ
Expanding on the coolant portion of this equation, is there anyway to unbolt the water pump from the head, without creating a mess? I know the power steering and brake stuff can be tied off without completely disconnecting. Likely a dumb question, but figure would ask anyway just to make sure.
I'm assuming will have to drain the coolant a bit, if not all of it...
and is there a way to suck the coolant from the heads, so there wouldn't be any spilt into the bolt holes?
I'm assuming will have to drain the coolant a bit, if not all of it...
and is there a way to suck the coolant from the heads, so there wouldn't be any spilt into the bolt holes?
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To explain the coolant concept, take off the hose going into the water pump and put the shop vac on it to suck out most of the water from the top of the block. Another trick is to break loose all of the bolts but don't completely un-thread them, i.e. go 2-3 rotations counter clockwise on all the bolts then lift the head just ever so slightly to let the coolant flow out. The bolts will still be in the block, so the coolant won't go into the holes, at least not nearly as much.
Once you stop getting coolant leaking, remove the bolts completely. Take one of the old bolts and grind it down on two sides so as to create a void on each side and essentially make a tap to remove the crap off the bolts.
My advice is to spend a couple hundred bucks and spring for studs. I did and my only regret is not doing it the first time I re-installed a head. Torquing to yeild with factory bolts sucks. To do it properly, you need a torque-angle meter which I don't have, and most people don't either. It's so much easier to use a torque wrench and follow the specified torque procedure.
Once you stop getting coolant leaking, remove the bolts completely. Take one of the old bolts and grind it down on two sides so as to create a void on each side and essentially make a tap to remove the crap off the bolts.
My advice is to spend a couple hundred bucks and spring for studs. I did and my only regret is not doing it the first time I re-installed a head. Torquing to yeild with factory bolts sucks. To do it properly, you need a torque-angle meter which I don't have, and most people don't either. It's so much easier to use a torque wrench and follow the specified torque procedure.
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From: NJ
Ah ha! Sweet, thank you!
One thing I'm a little hesitant on, grinding the bolt threads down and reusing. Any time I grinded a bolt thread, or cut a bolt, the threads get all mangled up, or some of the metal shifts into the thread void changing the pitch, which would end up scarring the internal threads of the head. Unless the steel bolts are really hard and dont bend over or mis-shape to easily...?
One thing I'm a little hesitant on, grinding the bolt threads down and reusing. Any time I grinded a bolt thread, or cut a bolt, the threads get all mangled up, or some of the metal shifts into the thread void changing the pitch, which would end up scarring the internal threads of the head. Unless the steel bolts are really hard and dont bend over or mis-shape to easily...?
1 Drain the cooling system first .
2 Remove the water pump & use the shop vac to remove the rest of the coolant from both sides of the block .
3.Then remove the heads & you will have very little if any at all to clean up out of the bores or your shop floor.
Ryan
I use a Miti-vac and small hose to drain my block, same result but doesn't make a mess of my shop vac. You don't re-install the ground bolt, you use it to collect the stuff in the bolt holes. Look at ls1howto, he shows a picture of the bolt and how to use it.
I also recommend the ARP stud kit.
Also on the FAST, re-use your stock intake bolts and don't bother with the ones they provide. They rust and look like crap. Also, someone on Corvetteforum accidentally dropped one of the washers used under the FAST bolts into the head intake port and didn't notice. Engine was junk as soon as it started.
I also recommend the ARP stud kit.
Also on the FAST, re-use your stock intake bolts and don't bother with the ones they provide. They rust and look like crap. Also, someone on Corvetteforum accidentally dropped one of the washers used under the FAST bolts into the head intake port and didn't notice. Engine was junk as soon as it started.
There is a drain plug in each bank which you can remove to get the coolant level below the heads before you remove them. This will solve the coolant problem, but you still need to err on the side of caution and vacuum or blow out all the bolt holes. If you use the vacuum method you can roll up some paper towels afterward and slide them down into the bolt holes to soak up any coolant the vacuum didn't get. I like to use compressed air myself after first removing the drain plugs. Once those plugs are out there isn't much coolant left to get into the bolt holes anyway. A digital camera helps on reassembly. Just take pictures during the tear down and if you have any questions about where hoses or wiring harnesses go you can view the photos you took.
Last edited by eallanboggs; Nov 8, 2007 at 01:35 PM.
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: PA
I am a big fan of the digital camara. I went to a thrift store and bought a $25 computer and monitor that would run windows xp. I hooked it up in my garage and every project that I do I take pictures of through out the whole process put it on the computer jot some notes down in ms word to help me remember **** b/c of my 
The baggie trick is also a VERY good one.
The baggie trick is also a VERY good one.