The aluminum hogs head is seriously stuck on the engine. I do not know what was used ie RTV, PERMATEX etc but I am afraid of breaking the hogs head in an effort to get it off.
Tips or tricks requested!
Thanks in advance.
SHARPEN A STRONG PUTTY KNIFE AND GO IN IN SEVERAL PLACES ON EACH SIDE OF PAN TO HELP LOOSEN THE SEAL. THEN YOU CAN TRY TO BREAK IT LOOSE USING A THIN SCREWDRIVER . Sorry for the caps,big fat fingers...
Heat lamp treatment???, so as to soften the stuff holding the metal parts and the gaskets together? Slowly but steady, heat may loosen the hold between the metal, the gasket, and the glue holding them together.
Hand-held propane torch??? gradually around the hogshwead? Be careful and go slowly.
Prying the hogsheld cold seems to be out of the question. Essentially, melt the stuff holding it together, but slowly.
Like in stuck all the way around?
You did undo all the bands and shafts, yes?
Probe to find a weak spot with a putty knife and get it in. It usually will be back by the ball cap area.
Once in use a tap hammer to work it sideways around all flat areas on both sides, separating whatever it is.
Then use two small wiggle pry bars to work one side up about 1/2 inch, make sure the front bell will NOT catch on the exhaust manifold (has a habit of doing that at least on the '15's). Then work the other side to the same height.
Don't let it get too crooked front to back and make sure the back ball cap is out of the way.
If it still won't actually 'pop' then slide a dowel in the rear seam both sides not too big and bring it back down on the dowel, make a wedge out of a 2x4 and get it under the front of the bell even a little bit and start to pound away with a dead hammer on the 2x4 chunk. Go to the other side and do the same. Back and forth. It will 'pop' after some cuss words.
Haven't broken one yet...even though there have been times I was willing to as it was THAT stuck...perserverance and pounding always seems to pop....but proceed at your own risk if someone doesn't have a better idea
I have been doing what Jack said for years with good results.
Trust what Uncle Jack told you to do.
Yes I can get a putty knife in (not a really good one) and yes, all bands are disconnected. I'll try the back and forth with better putty knife but this thing has given me fits! I have inadvertently broken tools and parts before and I've no desire to repeat that on my first ever (and probably last) aluminum hogs head.
I'll give heat a shot as well as I have good "working" lights. Done for tonight though. All I wanted to do was change the bands!!!
Sorry... stuck all the way around.
I like the wedge idea as well.
Tomorrow is another day!
Are you sure that all of the bolts have been removed? Some of them do not have nuts on the bolts.
Yup... nothing but empty holes but I'll double check tomorrow as I have proven on more than one occasion that I am not perfect!
Got it off using a combination of putty knives (stout ones) and wooden wedges. (no cracks)
Thanks again FORUM and everyone who made suggestions.
There are blind bolts that come up through the bottom also, Bob
Dynamite.