Head removal

[RSdriver98]

I have a 98 eclipse rs and am doing a head swap. I have everything unbolted but the intake manifold. Should i unbolt the intake manifold before removing head or does it come out with the head?

 

[Locke]

You can leave the intake manifold attached to the head during removal, if you want.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Yes it doesnt matter just pull it off with it on, then take it off if you want once the heads out.

 

[rstare]

Yup just take it out with it on.
Just a fyi; if you get head studs when you put the head back on you can't have the intake manifold attached to the head. The stock head bolts are torque to yeild so you can't reuse them.
I got ARP head studs to replace the stock bolts and tried to put the head on with the intake manifold attached. So just giving you a heads up.

 

[RSdriver98]

Well, here's the deal. I have removed the Power Steering Pump, Bracket, Passenger Engine Mount, Underdrive pulley, Timing Belt Cover, Timing belt, and all the visible hoses and other misc. brackets around the head. I have removed the Head Studs and pulled the cams, but the intake mani. is still attached. The head will move a little along the front, but it feels like there is something still bolted in the rear near the firewall that's preventing me from pulling it. Anyone have any ideas of what might still be attached to this thing? I was looking into taking the IM off, but the one lower bolt on the passenger side looks like a bi*** to get to.

 

[RSdriver98]

Yup just take it out with it on.
Just a fyi; if you get head studs when you put the head back on you can't have the intake manifold attached to the head. The stock head bolts are torque to yeild so you can't reuse them.
I got ARP head studs to replace the stock bolts and tried to put the head on with the intake manifold attached. So just giving you a heads up.

BTW, why can't the head be retourqued down with the IM attached? I'm starting to think this would have been easier if I just pulled the motor...

 

[tsiboostin]

Well, here's the deal. I have removed the Power Steering Pump, Bracket, Passenger Engine Mount, Underdrive pulley, Timing Belt Cover, Timing belt, and all the visible hoses and other misc. brackets around the head. I have removed the Head Studs and pulled the cams, but the intake mani. is still attached. The head will move a little along the front, but it feels like there is something still bolted in the rear near the firewall that's preventing me from pulling it. Anyone have any ideas of what might still be attached to this thing? I was looking into taking the IM off, but the one lower bolt on the passenger side looks like a bi*** to get to.

Im not 100% sure but I believe the IM is still bolted on to a bracket.

 

[RSdriver98]

Im not 100% sure but I believe the IM is still bolted on to a bracket.

I thought about that, but then I started considering the fact that there is engine motion and a bracket mounted to the firewall from the IM sounds like a dumb idea... So, I don't think so, but I didn't take a very close look. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[tsiboostin]

It bolts to the block not the firewall. It gives support for the IM and on a 1g has some vac tubes.

 

[RSdriver98]

Thank you so much! I'll be sure to check this out tomorrow. The head feels like it wants to come out, but there is just one more little thing I have missed. If anyone has any more ideas or tips, please let me know! Thanks again for the help everyone.

 

[Tor-Lein]

Here's the brackets!
Two, pretty simple to remove..

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I had a black box attached to the brackets, anyone know what that is?
Two hoses running in to it.

 

[rstare]

Good pic Tor.
Yup there is two brackets holding the IM to the block.
The black box inbetween those brackets is your cruise control. You might not have it RSdriver, I'm not totally sure on which models have it and which don't, but I believe it was just an option for RS's.

If your engine was all stock, then you should have head bolts, not head studs. Like I said previously those bolts are torque to yield and can't be reused. So your going to need to get new bolts or some ARP studs, I believe the studs are actually cheaper. If you use the studs, the IM will not go on attached to the head. You'll have to put the head on and then attached the IM . It's fun you get to put your arm in weird and not normal positions to put that IM on.

 

[RSdriver98]

Thanks! The picture really helps out. And I dont have cruise control on my car. I just cant wait to get this damn head off my car ive been working on it for a week now.

 

[RSdriver98]

I got the head off. Thanks for the pic

 

[tsiboostin]

I got the head off. Thanks for the pic

Good. I figured it was a bracket holding you back.

 

[RSdriver98]

yeh it was just 2 bolts holding it on

 

[cs82685]

Yup just take it out with it on.
Just a fyi; if you get head studs when you put the head back on you can't have the intake manifold attached to the head. I got ARP head studs to replace the stock bolts and tried to put the head on with the intake manifold attached. So just giving you a heads up.

Why not? I was able to do so (twice I might add) Did you run into fitment issues trying to get the head over the studs with the IM on?

 

[rstare]

Why not? I was able to do so (twice I might add) Did you run into fitment issues trying to get the head over the studs with the IM on?

That's exactly what happened. I had the cams on the head so I couldn't set the head on and then put the studs in. So I put the studs into the block and when you try and slide the head on over the studs the IM will hit the firewall at that funky angle.

 

[RSdriver98]

So i will have to mount the IM before i put the head on? I cant just attach it to the head before i put it back on?

 

[Slippi84]

Here's the brackets!
Two, pretty simple to remove..

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I had a black box attached to the brackets, anyone know what that is?
Two hoses running in to it.

Says you

The reason you don't want to have the intake manifold on, really with any car, is because when you go to torque the head back down the intake manifold's weight is lifting up on the exhaust side and pulling down on the intake side fighting what your trying to do which is bolt it down as level as possible. This is why you don't just go around in a circle torquing them down. You want both a smooth and level surface.

 

[RSdriver98]

So, since I have to leave the IM off when I put the head back on, I'm getting a little worried. I want the head to be torqued down properly and evenly, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to bolt the IM back on once the head is torqued down. I don't think I can get to the bolts... Any tips?

 

[Slippi84]

So, since I have to leave the IM off when I put the head back on, I'm getting a little worried. I want the head to be torqued down properly and evenly, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to bolt the IM back on once the head is torqued down. I don't think I can get to the bolts... Any tips?

Extensions and patience. You will get good at it after taking the manifold on and off a couple times like when you change your alternator it makes it easier and dumb stuff like that underneath on the back side of the block. That's if you can't get to the bolts from the underside. If you have a real long extension with a swive head you can get to it from the bottom.

 

[cs82685]

Says you

The reason you don't want to have the intake manifold on, really with any car, is because when you go to torque the head back down the intake manifold's weight is lifting up on the exhaust side and pulling down on the intake side fighting what your trying to do which is bolt it down as level as possible. This is why you don't just go around in a circle torquing them down. You want both a smooth and level surface.

Not to argue or say you are wrong as I can understand the theory behind it, but I've never heard of anyone having issues with the head being torqued improperly due specifically to an uneven distribution of weight from having the IM bolted on. I would also think you could argue you could bolt the exhaust mani on before bolting the head down to counter the weight of the intake if you were that concerned about it.

 

[Slippi84]

Not to argue or say you are wrong as I can understand the theory behind it, but I've never heard of anyone having issues with the head being torqued improperly due specifically to an uneven distribution of weight from having the IM bolted on. I would also think you could argue you could bolt the exhaust mani on before bolting the head down to counter the weight of the intake if you were that concerned about it.

Very true but they do not weigh the same but that's neither here nor there. You CAN torque down the head with one or both or none on but as good practice the tech right way to do it is with just the head by itself to limit the chance of anything being off.

 

[bullettdsm]

So, since I have to leave the IM off when I put the head back on, I'm getting a little worried.

Don't, you'll be fine. Leave the IM on.

Says you

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