Tips for separating heads from the block

Might wanna mention which engine.... ;)

If it's a 350 (etc) though - first thing is to make SURE you got all 17 bolts out. Got a picture of a head in a magazine from years gone by that the owner thought was all undone.... un uh! Nicely cracked the whole lower edge off from over active prying.

Usually though, a big screwdriver in a port (if they're cast heads!!!!) will let you pry up a bit to crack them free.

It was at one time a 350, been bored out a couple times though... I bought a dead blow hammer and I got my trusty prybar, we'll see what happens.

All the bolts are definitely out, triple checked. Gonna try and a real long prybar. These are cast iron heads.

IF you can still crank over the engine at this stage, one trick is to pull the pushrods (or just back them off) and turn the engine over. All the compression has to go somewhere! Sometimes it'll just pop the heads off.

good idea

You confirm ALL the bolts are out?? I usually will take a copper or other non spawling type hammer and gentle to firmly tap around the head on the corners untill the seal is broken and can gently lift the head from it's moorings. This works wonders.

Good luck

Are you sure there are no bolts in the backside of the heads? Such as cruise control brackets that might be bolted to the 3 rear accessory holes and to the block?

Charles

Postive about no bolts. Still haven't gotten it off. I can't find my big pry bar, I've tried prying on the exhaust ports with medium length pry bars. I got a 42oz deadblow hammer and have whacked it pretty good to no avail. Why didn't GM put one stinking spot on this @#$ to pry on?! pretty sick of it if you can't tell.

Put a chain on it. Hook the chain to a engine hoist. Bounce the hoist up and down. Charles

Got it off,

Took a prybar with a good edge and hammered under the lip of the head on the front of the engine with the deadblow. That was enough to break the seal and it was a pinch after that.

thanks guys

I just got the other side off, and to be more specific there's an accessory bolt hole near the center of the head, radiator side, under which is the perfect place to slide in an angle-tipped prybar. A few sharp blows on the end of the prybar (deadblow helped here) and it broke away very easily. It was definitely the quickest way to get em off. Avoid prying in at the joint where the block, head, and intake manifold meet however, as that was a thin joint where a prybar might induce future leaks.