Stuck spot replacing head gasket

[eagle_race]

ok. well here what ive done so far. i took off the valve cover. the took off the timging belt cam gears and cams to take out the head bolts. i left the intake manifold on because it looks like its only connected to the head. i pried it up with a pry bar. and the head is like floating and i can see all the way under the head. it looks life every bolt is off. but ive heard i have to take off the intake manifold. but i dont know how to get at the bolts to take it off. but should i get an engine lift to try and take the head off with the intake manifold on. because its so damn heavy. i just need one good answer from where i am to put the head gasket on. im so condused right now

p.s i have a 95 talon 420a engine. no engine mods. if that helps

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Make sure there isn't a bracket bolted to the bottom of the manifold.

 

[eagle_race]

Make sure there isn't a bracket bolted to the bottom of the manifold.

is that the black box on the back side of the engine under the maifold? i took the nuts off 2 bolts but i couldnt see how to get the box off. its plastic

 

[GSXSixteenG]

You don't need to take the intake manifold off to remove the head but what colt is trying to say is there might be a brace between the manifold and block.

You don't need a hoist either.

 

[eagle_race]

ohh i gotcya. well there is the back engine lift hook that looks like its bolted to the head and the block. but i couldnt get at it. it was to loose to tell. also the alternator looks like its conntected to both. but the weird thing is that when i had a light on the backside of the engine i could see all the way under the head. and it looked like it was floating!? idk if i bent the shit out of a bolt prying on it or what. but if i cant get the head off should i just slide the new head gasket in place? i just wanted to see what the piston heads looked like

also the head gasket blew on me at the wrong time. and i could only afford coolant oil and the gasket. i heard i cant reuse the head bolts because they stretch. and other people said thats bull. i was just gonna reuse them. is that ok?

oh haha also the coolant that came out of the car looked like oil it was so contaminated!

 

[Colt4G63 also]

I usually like to get the head milled, or at least check it for flatness, or clean it... As far as the head bolts; if you had measured them when they were new, and measured them now, and determined that they have not stretched beyond tolerances, they would theoretically be fine to use again.

If the head is hovering, there's probably a brace holdimng it. A bent brace.

 

[Jeff99GS]

This Picture is of a 4g63 Manifold but I would guess the 420a has a similar bracket bolted to the block. That brace strengthens the Mani so its NOT holding up its own weight, and so people dont lean on it and snap it off at the flange

 

[xsboost]

. i heard i cant reuse the head bolts because they stretch. and other people said thats bull. i was just gonna reuse them. is that ok?

Just get some new ones, they're only about $24. You could also look in the 4g63 classifieds on this forum, sometimes people sell arps pretty cheap. I got my ARPs for $40.

 

[greg90gs]

i would definately get the head checked because it is comon for those heads to warp, and if it did you would need new head bolts.