Engine number

[Barry Townsend]

Whilst trying and failing miserably to remove the cylinder head of my '31 RN I noticed that the engine is tight against the bulkhead.
Its so close that I cant get to the rear exhaust nut, another part of the current job list as the manifold is cracked and needs to be changed.

I have been wondering if the engine is not the original unit.
Chassis No. 146276
Car No. B4 9473
Engine No. M 147151

I could also do with some suggestions on how to free off the head as it wont budge at the moment. I've tried spinning the engine over on the starter with the plugs in, copious quantities of release agent on the studs. If the alternator wasn't away for repair I would have tried starting it.

[Howard Wright]

Hi Barry

According to “The Source book” your car is very early 1932.  The chassis and engine are contemporary so it may well be the original engine.

The engine is fixed by the mounting holes in the chassis but it could be that the floor pan may not be bolted in the correct place?  The engine bulkhead gap on my RK is close (about 1/2”).

It may be that engine removal may be the only way to get at that manifold nut.  Once out you can have a better go at head removal.

Cheers

Howard

[Barry Townsend]

Thanks Howardi

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Removing the head

You need patience, and the firm belief that it will come off.

Also - check the forum, this has been covered before.

Amongst other things, you can put (say) a tyre lever on a head stud, hook it under a spark plug lug, and push the other end down to get some lift.

Repeat, using different studs and plugs.   I think it took an hour or so before movement was detectable.

As soon as you get any movement at all, you know it will come off sooner or later.

You may have to sacrifice a plug to get enough of a lug to get your lever underneath.

Good luck.

[Steve Jones]

The purists will throw up their hands in horror but years ago I made a shallow aluminium wedge that works by 'persuading' the head to separate from the block. Once initial separation has been achieved, the rest is relatively easy. Buggers the gasket but never done any damage to a head or a block!

Steve

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Fox wedges - never failed, yet...

[Steve Jones]

Thankfully, it's not just me then Ruairidh! Never failed me either. Last success was about 3 weeks ago.

Steve

[Charles P]

The purists will throw up their hands in horror but years ago I made a shallow aluminium wedge that works by 'persuading' the head to separate from the block. Once initial separation has been achieved, the rest is relatively easy. Buggers the gasket but never done any damage to a head or a block!

Steve

With the engine in the car I remove the head nuts, screw a couple of hooks into plug holes and lift the front of the car about 6 inches off the ground using a block and tackle swung over a beam. Liberal dose of Plus Gas and leave overnight.

c

[Steve kay]

I could not find any eye bolts of suitable thread so a couple of Ts were welded up to screw into the plug 'oles. Chain block, leaving overnight, squirting, a little patience, movement will finally take place. Mind you, a purist might think that installing an alternator has upset the entire mechanism.

[Dave Mann]

   
If you have difficulty removing a cylinder head please do not resort to using screwdrivers, chisels and hammers which will damage the joint faces & your screwdrivers. The photograph shows the hammerless method I use. I've used two old Champion 8 COM spark plugs from which I've removed the ceramic insulator and replaced it with a long 5/16” BSF bolt and large heavy duty washer and nut, these are screwed into numbers 1 and 4 spark plug holes. I have a piece 2” x 2” x 1/4” angle iron drilled to pass over the 5/16” bolts in the spark plugs. This is also drilled with two holes for my chain block to lift either the engine or engine and gearbox. I then place steel plates over the ends of the cylinder head studs and under the angle iron. Tightening of a second nut on each 5/16” bolt will draw the cylinder head up until the head is flush with the ends of the studs. If you still can't lift the head off, replace the steel plates with two bolts, of the same length, on top of the cylinder head studs.