Cylinder head removal

Mar 07, 2008 4 Replies

Fellow Ford drivers,



Anybody have any suggestions how to remove the cylinder head off a 30 year old 250 straight six? I'm going to hit the sides with a rubber mallet with a force parallel to the block surface but am wondering what the pros would do? Everything has been removed and the head is just fastened to the block.


Thanks in advance


I would remove the head bolts first.

I would also use the end of a breaker bar or a big ratchet and put that into the exhaust or intake manifold. And then pry up ratchet get or breaker bar. In addition, you could a putty knife and gently hammer it between the head and cylinder block. You might even have to use a screw driver.

If you turn it over using the starter the compression built up in one cylinder might be enough to spring it loose. Good luck.

The advice remove the head bolts i be really helped ...... Be gentle with it first, sure try the rubber mallet working around the head maybe it will work. I would not try driving anything between the head and block - you dont want to rip up either surface. Cranking might do it, never thought of that - pry bar against a protruding edge of the head should help, or against the manifold, but dont mess up the mating surfaces of the head or block, not a good idea.

Thanks to all who replied. I was able to remove the head with a rubber mallet. There was just a lot of gasket seal holding the head to the block.

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