With the engine in the car, I am trying to pull the pass. side head. I removed the intake, the header bolts, all the head bolts, the back of head water tube bolt and the two bolts attaching the PS/AC bracket to the head. The head is loose and tilts up on the intake side about 3/8" but is hanging on something. The exhaust side doesn't wan to budge. I can't apply to much effort as I just had surgery and can't strain too much. I also don't want to mar the head surface by trying to pry it off the block with a prybar of something. What am I missing?

Is there a third bolt attaching to the head from the alum bracket on the front? I can't find/see it, if there is.

BTW, what moron GM engineer design the wiring harness to go over the middle of engine and connect from both sides?! I mean it is impossible to move that thing and all the injection connectors out of the way.

 

Yeah, gotta slide everything out from under it. It's stupid. Thay should change that for the 2006 models

 

Are you sure you removed all the head bolts? Sounds stupid, I know. But I once had a hell of a time getting a head out until I took that last bolt out!

Rich

 

I'm with Rich on the bolts. Maybe you did forget the bolt behind the last valve on #8 or one in the back on the bottom of the head?

 

REmove the beltioner and loosen the 2 bolts that are holding the bracket on. just enough so the bracket moves freely. I couldn't get my head back on until I did this. It is a major PITA.

 

It sure sounds like you got everything unbolted from the passenger side head, and NO there isn't a third(3rd) bolt between the head and AC/PS bracket. Now as far as maybe "forgeting" to take out all of the head bolts, just count the ones you've removed; there are seventeen(17) total head bolts on that cylinder head, (eight(8) short ones, two(2) medium length ones, and seven(7) long ones). Hope this info helps?

 

Thanks for the replies, guys. s

Yes, I did remove all 17 bolts, I made a card board template from the new head gaskets to position each bolt as I was removed them from the head. The rear "banjo" like tubing bolt is removed and the two bolts on the alum PS/AC bracket are removed. Nothing else is attached to or near the head as far as I can tell.

That darn cast alum bracket is still bolted to the block. I found a total of 5 bolts hold it. The two on the head are removed. Do I need to pull the alum bracket away from the head for some reason? Two of the three block bolts are easy to reach if I need to, but the third is buried behind the AC. I think I would have to removed the fan housing and a bunch more stuff to access it. Ugh. I don't want to do that unless it is absolutely necessary.

Does that alum bracket have to be loose from the block and alway from the heads? I can't see how it would be holding the head or keeping the head from coming out. But it is parked really close.

Do you think the head is caught up on the block guide studs?

 

Yeah the accessory bracket needs to be moved away just a tad. The head should pretty much lift right off.

 

WHen I pull up on the intake side of the head and the head begins to lift from the block (maybe 5-8 degrees), I can see the head moving slightly along the alum bracket but can't see anything from top down and from (limited visiblity) bottom up view that would suggest anything on that bracket is hanging up or binding the head from complete removal. I can't see anything even dragging on the head from that bracket.

Tell me more about how to remove all the bolts from that alum bracket.

 

I got it off!

It was just stuck (pretty tightly) on the dowels and I was too weak to pull it off. I had a bud come over to help. He pulled it loose and got it off on the first try.

Thanks to everyone for the replies to my post. -Don