How do I get the cam tower seperated from the head?
 

I need to do a deck height check but the valve train guy put the heads and the cam tower together with locktight. How do I seperated the two to put the head on one and four?

Check all the nuts and I pry gently *GENTLY* above the port where the meat is thickest to separate. Constant pressure and wiggle, they pop apart.

Should be able to do the deck height with the cam tower attached though, yes? Shouldn't be a problem to only have one or two of the cylinders in place even if you install the piston/cylinders without clipping the piston in at both ends.

Separating Heads From Camshaft Towers
 

Don't know if this applies to what you are doing (heads/towers already removed/on bench?). Here's how I separated mine (they had some sort of bonding agent making it difficult).

I placed a small object (wood handled wire brushes) under the heads that I was not removing:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1368589559.jpg

Then I separated by hitting the studs with a brass drift:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1368589809.jpg

If nothing else - possibly provides some ideas.

Gordo

Thanks
 

I figured I would have to do one of those two things. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't a better way from the guru's here. Kinda scarey prying on the cooling fins. :eek: Thanks again. Cheers, Mike.

Yep, would not pry on the fins at all.

Yep, don't pry on fins and make sure all the nuts are off.

There are areas that have more meat, as long as it's not a sealing surface. Go around and around the tower prying gently, just a hair each time and it will come off.

Might try w/o separating
 

Andrew, I think I may try putting the whole thing on w/ a cylinder on each end and only tighten the head I want to measure. If I can't do it that way, I'll separate. Thank you all.

I wouldn't recommend that as a reliable way to measure either piston to cylinder clearance or deck height. Best way is to melt the loctite, separate everything, clean it and reassemble the way the engine is intended to fit together.

Unless I'm mistaken, the cam tower is bolted atop the heads on these engines... and it's intended that way. What would cause you to believe the presence of the tower on a fastened head would change the piston to head clearance?