Cam Housing Seperation Ideas?

[MJR]

Whoever was in this engine before used some kind of gasket maker that just won't let go...


Round 1:

All 18 nuts taken off, tried tapping the studs, then putting the nuts on the studs until they're flush with the stud and hitting them a little harder.


Round 2:

Supporting the cam housing by the corners on wooden blocks, dropped the head stud washers back down the bores, and with a long brass drift and a big hammer, hitting the head stud clamping surfaces pretty hard.


No dice on any of the three heads I tried it on... Any ideas?

Thanks,
Matt

[piggdekk]

I'd try heating the cam housing to soften the sealant. I wouldn't use a torch, an electric heater should do as well.

[4sd911]

Maybe best off removing the tower and heads as one unit, once off engine you can remove one head at a time.

[MJR]

Got it! Assembly was already off the engine. Took the whole assembly and stuck it in the oven to heat it up a little. Then did the same thing as before, only using a 10X rivet gun and it popped apart.


Now here's hoping the sealant comes off easy with some kind of solvent...


Thanks for the replies.

[Tippy]

Curious of what sealant was used.

[MJR]

Originally Posted by Tippy

Curious of what sealant was used.

It looks like Indian Head Shellac. It's all over everything. Gooped around all the rocker pin bores, etc. And, of course it's leaking oil, so there's black RTV sealant gooped around the entire lower mating surface for the housing, the lower case mating surface, all over the intake manifold extension blocks that hold the injectors (because they're cracked and leaking), front and rear seals, chain housings, etc...

[ninesixfour]

Originally Posted by MJR

Now here's hoping the sealant comes off easy with some kind of solvent...

Try an aircraft stripper, Goo Gone, or Goof Off. Spray them on, let them soak, then wipe away with a plastic scraper so you don't scratch anything. The warmer the room the better.