Cylinder head removal

[Sens]

Hello,

I am removing the cylinder head of my M130 engine for an overhaul. So far so good!

To remove the exhaust manifold from the downpipes is quite a job! No movement at all!

Is it possible to lower the pipes and manifolds and remove the head without separating the two?

Or should I go for it and use more force and heat?

Any advise would be appreciated very much!

Halvor Sens

[ja17]

I have done it many times leaving the cast iron manifolds attached to the front pipes. The method is a little more technically difficult and is best left for the experienced professionals. Try to use the prefered procedure and finish disconnecting the front pipes. Leave the manifolds bolted to the head for now. Gentle taps with a lead or copper mallet can sometimes free the manifold/frt. pipe connection. Do not use a lot of force with a steel hammer or hard steel mallet or the cast iron manifold can break. In severe cases unfasten all exhaust hangars so the exhaust hangs freely with some support from a stand or jack. Grab the exhaust pipes at the tail pipes and move system by hand, back and forth and up and down. Another set of hands can tap the connection with a lead or copper mallet at the same time if necessary. This method almost always works. Another technique is to use a torch to heat the connection if the equipment is available. Once the connection is free you can unbolt the manifolds from the cylinder head and remove them to continue.

If you are still not able to succeed, let me know, and I can fill you in on the alternate procedure.

[Sens]

Thanks you so much!

I will follow our advise and let you know.

Halvor

[merrill]

19 or 20 years ago when i pulled the motor from my 66 230 the exhaust manifold and exhaust down pipe would not come apart.

this is probably not a good method to separate but i removed all exhaust connections and let the entire exhaust hang and from the rear i grabbed the chrome tips and wiggled the entire system until the 2 separated.

this actually took several tries over a few days.

when i re installed i used some anti seize just in case i needed to separate the 2 in the future.  (which i actually had to do)

good luck

[Sens]

Thanks for your comment.
I will let you know!

Halvor

[stickandrudderman]

And sometimes it proves impossible to seperate them without breaking the manifold.
I recently had to cut the downpipes a cm from the flange, remove the manifold and get it on the bench. Then I carefully cut slots into the inside of the remaining downpipe so as to be able to crush the remaining downpipe. After maybe a couple of hours at this I still ended up with a broken manifold.
RHD manifolds are particularly hard to source too.....

[Sens]

Mmm, your story frightens me somewhat…

I undid the 6 bolts that connect the tubes to the 2 manifolds.
I will give it a try from the back of the car.

Fingers crossed…

Halvor

[Benz Dr.]

The rear manifold seems to be the one that breaks most often and is harder to find in good used condition. Lots of heat and patience required in many cases.

[Sens]

Thank you Dr. Benz!

Would you advise to get the cylinder head off without removing the manifold from the pipes?

Thank you.

Halvor

[Benz Dr.]

Thank you Dr. Benz!

Would you advise to get the cylinder head off without removing the manifold from the pipes?

Thank you.

Halvor

Yes, I've done it that way before. In one case we left the manifolds on the down pipes and only removed the cylinder head.

[Sens]

I see that removing the down pipes is quite risky…

What is the procedure to follow if you leave the down pipes attached to the manifold?

Thanks!

Halvor

[Benz Dr.]

Remove everything that holds the head in place, lift it slightly, and then pull it away from the manifolds. Removing the valve rockers helps so that you won't have anything to catch the block as you remove the head. 

[Sens]

Thanks a lot!
I will give it a try, since I am allmost there!

Halvor

[Sens]

Will the valve rockers be in the way, since they are part of the head?

Halvor

[ja17]

When using this method, I use a floor jack under the front pipes help lift the head upward and easier to slide off. In addition, removing the injection pump WRD makes a lot more room to slide the head off. Although this method saves a lot of time and difficulty, installation becomes more complicated. Placement of the head and new head gasket is more difficult to achieve without damaging the new head gasket.

[Sens]

Thanks for you comment!

I can understand that removing is much easier than assembly.

I think I will first try to get the down pipe disconnected without using to much force.

If necessary I will follow your procedure. I have a good lifting device for the head in place so I can move it in a controlled way.

[merrill]

Sens
hi,
it probably took me 9 days for the down pipes to finally let go of the manifold.

i'd come home from work wiggle / pull / twist at the chrome tip end for a few minute then i'd leave it alone until the next day.

finally after a week or so  doing this every day it finally released.

[Sens]

Haha, thank you so much much for your encouraging words! Appreciated!

I am at day 1 now and I started the process.
The problem is to determine how much force you can apply at the end of the exhaust without braking the manifold.

Any idea??

Best regards and fingers crossed!

Halvor

[ja17]

Move in all directions, up, down, left and right. Occasionally go forward and tap the connection with a copper or lead mallet.

[Sens]

OK!
Thanks.
I used a plastic mallet.
So far no movement...
I will keep you updated!

Halvor

[Sens]

Would it be possible to remove the studs for the manifolds and put new ones in later on when the overhauled head is in position. Then you can leave the manifolds connected to the downpipes and remove and replace the head. If you put two nuts on each stud and tightened them against each other to keep them in place, and then installed the studs with a socket wrench on the top nut.
I read on this forum that this might work.

Any comments?

Thanks!

[Sens]

Or... can I put some moderate tension on the connection inspired by the picture I found on this forum.

[merrill]

hi
if i remember correctly i was not that gentle pulling / wiggling / twisting / moving up and down  at the chrome tips. 

it took time but it finally broke loose.

some heat may not hurt if you are in a rush,  especially if you are using that clamp set up in the earlier post picture

[Cees Klumper]

@Sens if you do end up breaking the manifold, I have about 10 of them in good shape here with me in France where I will be for the next three weeks. So if it happens within that timeframe, I can send one in the mail. Fingers crossed!

[ja17]

Plastic mallet, most likely, will not have enough mass.