[Renegade]

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Hi guys.. I've got a good one.. I'm in the process of removing the heads on a 94 GL1500, all the bolts came out easily, but the heads seem to be glued onto the block. It's original and the heads have never been off since installation at the factory. 31,000 miles on the odometer. I don't want to drive a screwdriver in as a wedge, so I'm looking for some suggestion on how to free them up to remove them...

I tried to pop them off (like I usually do) with a soft headed mallet, also gently prying with a rounded screwdriver against the side of the block and they just won't move. Aluminum distorts easily and of course, I don't want to damage either the heads or the block... :baffled:

Any of you had this problem? Anybody have a resolution? Thanks.. Renegade

 

[englishted]

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Are there any 10mm head bolts hidden down under the bottom of the heads, just like on the GL1200?

 

[Renegade]

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Thanks for the quick response Englishted... All bolts have been removed. I have a feeling that it's just the type of material Honda uses for it's head gaskets. We removed the cams and holders also, just to make sure we got ALL the bolts...

 

[Eamonn1200]

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One of my 1200 heads was stuck when I did mine at Christmas. The rubber mallet didn't shift it but a block of wood placed against the head and hit with a normal hammer did. It wasn't a big problem, one of the steel dowels had corroded to the head and block.

 

[Renegade]

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Thanks Eamonn... I didn't think of using a wooden block and regular hammer... I'll try it and let you know how it goes.. Renegade

 

[exavid]

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For the best result with a block of wood, smack it on the endgrain with the hammer, it gives a bit sharper shock than using the wood cross grain.

 

[Renegade]

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It's on the schedule for tonight after work. Should I hit the head on the end or the side,, bottom??? Thanks..

 

[owen]

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You could try starting the bike using the compressionto push the head off. If that doesn't work back to the block of wood and hammer.

Owen

 

[Dave Campbell]

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The trick thing would be to rig up a puller like is used for gears and steering wheels. I envision some gadget threaded into the head bolt holes that pulls on the head. Maybe a plate that fastens to the valvetrain somewhere and pulls against the studs?

 

[Renegade]

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Good idea. I have an old Chrysler rearbrake drumpuller that I can rig up... It's burried in the old tool bin in the basement..

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Maybe pull it in tension a bit, then whack it sideways with mallet? Wonder if putting a piston near TDC, filling the cyl with oil and hitting the starter would knock it loose?

 

[exavid]

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I kinda suspect the starter might not have enough torque to force it off hydraulically. I spent an hour once prying a stubborn head off a 1952 Chevy six only to find another head bolt hidden in the muck. Wonder if someone put gasket cement on the head gasket? Don't laugh, I had to tear down an old Cushman scooter once that the previous owner had glued on. Got a good deal on the scooter, the cement ran down the cylinder and locked things up, the guy thought the engine had frozen up and sold it to me cheap. Once I finally got everything cleaned up it ran fine and sold for a tidy profit.

If it were me, I think I'd give it a good bashing with large maul with a piece of wood between the head and hammer. A large hard hammer, 4-6lbs on the end grain of an oak chunk can provide a lot of shock, a soft hammer just doesn't. Also hit it on the top side of the head, you have a better chance of shearing off the gasket.

 

[FitzAl]

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The hammer and block of wood just has to do it. Even if the head is stuck onto those little steel dowls, I can't see it holding out against the hammer and wood. Tape a rag to the end of the wood so as to minimize the risk of marking the head.

 

[Renegade]

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Well guys,,, I did it... Nothing worked including the wood and hammer... HOWEVER, what I did was bought a very thin putty knife, sharpened itand ever so gently tapped it into the head gasket from the top corner above the cam and the head began to move off the block. After that amount of movement, I inserted a thin blade flat screwdriver and tapped that in the rest of the way until the head came free... Man what a nasty job... No damage to the head...Whew!!!

Anyway, the head is off and I found the problem.. The tops of both pistons, valves and head surfaces are covered with heavy carbon... No wonder the bike wouldn't run. I'm in the process of scraping the carbon and cleaning all the surfaces for re-assembly... The other head is coming off because I will bet real money that it's just as carboned up as this one...Just thought you would all want to know how I got the head off... Never a dull day for learning.... :clapper:

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Woo Hoo! Score one for the putty knife.

Permatex gasket remover spray will dissolve the crud nicely, butits wicked on paint and the clear coat.

I dont know whether this applies to the 1500, but the 1200 hadaproblem due to the PCV system throwing oil into the intake manifold. The oil ran down the rear two intakes and loaded up rear cylinders and valve seats. Be interesting to see if the crud in your engine is from a similar source ????

 

[Silicon Sam]

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Could you tell what was holding the head on so tight to begin with, after you got it off? Just curious....

Raymond

 

[FitzAl]

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Well done. Do you use leaded petrol in your Wing? Unleaded wouldn't carbon up very much, a thin layer that flakes off easily is all you usually get even after high mileage when you use unleaded.

 

[manx black cat]

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FitzAl wrote:

Well done. Do you use leaded petrol in your Wing? Unleaded wouldn't carbon up very much, a thin layer that flakes off easily is all you usually get even after high mileage when you use unleaded.

Alan

That answers my proposed question, but is there an additive you could place in the fuel from time to time, to prevent carbon build up. Or is it not necessary, in unleaded fuel?

 

[Renegade]

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Dave Campbell....Thanks for the tip on the Permatex spray gasket remover.. I NEED IT. The remains of the head gaskets just don't want to scrape off... I believe it was just the head gasket material that bonded itself to the heads & block, and it's very tought stuff... The right side has the same amount of carbon build-up on both cylinders.. This is not my bike (I have a 86 GL1200 Aspy), but is a friend of mine who just chugs around in it and neverbreaks the speed limit... He is 10 years older than me and is a little timid on the bike when we ride... I've ordered a gasket kit from PartsNmore, cleaned the pistions & heads. Waiting to put it all together now..

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. :clapper:

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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Hi Renegade, here's something that may save you a lot of work the next time you have carbon build up problems. I have used it succesfully on several engines:

http://www.sytyarchives.com/howto/viewarticle.php?article_name=top_end_cleaner.php&dir=engine

Vic

P.S. You probably know this already, but, make sure you check the heads for straightness before you reinstall them and do a retorque in a few hundred miles.