Tips? Separating heads from cam towers
 

This is not my first time doing this, however it is with this particular engine.

The camtowers and heads appear to have a black silicone sealant used between them, and a fair amount of it. I have taken a mallet to them, gently pried a bit where I would not break a fin off the heads, and a few other things. I cannot get the heads separated from the cam towers. I know there is always a bit of force required, but not this much.

Anybody out there have a method I can try before I go crazy? Is there a chemical or something that will dissolve the bond of the sealant?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Erik

Is the head /tower assembly removed from the engine? It's best to remove one head at a time.

If you have all the hardware removed you could try to pull a thin nylon fishing line between the two parts. It will help a bit but the alignment pins will block it. If you need to use a hammer don't hit the aluminum, try to hit the steel studs.

if you are going to hit anything with a hammer, be sure to use a block of wood, and a deadblow hammer on it. I've had situations where its taken a bit to break things free, but never one which requrired more than a couple sharp blows with the hammer to break it free.

Splitting Cam tower from cylinder heads.......
 

It is easier to remove the cam tower from the cylinder heads when they are installed on the engine (crankcase). After you have removed all the nuts and washers from the cam tower, splitting it from the cylinder heads sometimes require perseverance and patience.

There are several spots in the cam tower that are good and solid for applying 'force' to break the bond/glue between the interfaces. Do not apply direct blow with the BFH. Use a 12" long (1.5" x 1.5" or similar) piece of wood as your chisel or puncher. Stay away from the cooling fins. Look very carefully at the back of the cam towers and you'll find the spots I'm talking about.

There were times it felt like the cam towers won't split, but all it needed is to initially break the bond (glue) and once you see the hair-line gap between the CT and CH the next steps would be easy. Keep us posted.

Tony

Heads/cam towers already off the case. Guess I could put them back on. I have done this about 10 times in my life. First time with somebody else's black permatex sealant or whatever they used. Tried all my other tricks, no success. But I may have been a little conservative so far.

I will keep trying. Thanks for the tips and the encouragment.

My favorite arsenals.......
 

These are my favorite arsenals when I get into a tough battle with the cam tower removal. The loctite 574 bond is very strong and need to deliver impact or shock to the bonded parts. Sometimes they break apart very easy and most of the time they are stubborn to yield.

Word of advise. One time I was whacking the cam tower and won't yield a bit. I was a little bit discouraged and took a break. I had so many successes before and it's frustrating when you failed to do it again. The culprits was discovered and a stupid one. Found a few nuts still on the cam tower. As long as all the fasteners are off the cam tower, apply the impact (force) at different points on solid spots (stay away from cooling fins).
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Tony

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They make a wooden "turner" that is good for tapping in between two peices of metal. This might work. Can get it at Target or similar store for $6. wouldnt be able to put alot of force on it, but often you dont need to. sure wife wont be missing it before you replace the one you took from her kitchen. ;)

Separated. Thanks for the tips. In the end just had to grow a pair. Moving forward again.

"In the end just had to grow a pair. " What does that mean?

A pair of "balls";)

Just had to muscle them apart using a thin metal prybar/screwdriver between the intake port and the edge of the cam tower. No damage. Once the top seal popped apart, the head was easily removed.

A pair of "balls" Enough said:)

all you need is a big slot screwdriver. insert it toward the inside of the fins, top or bottom of the head and carefully pop the head loose, levering off the cam tower.

I've had good results with a chatter gun - an air chisel gun with a fairly wide flat piece welded onto the end of one of the chisel tools. You can use the thickish spots on the housing which have been mentioned - there are maybe two or three on each side. Wouldn't work as well if the heads were off as a uniit with the cam carrier, though.

But next time I'll have to look for where John uses his big screwdriver.

haven't broken a fin yet.

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