How hard is it to pull a rear head?

[garylau]

Okay, don't get mad, I know I already have a thread about the problem with this car but this is a totally different question and I really need a quick response. Is it as hard as it looks to pull the rear head on a '96 Beretta? It's not my car and I don't want to start it only to find I'm in over my head. Any tips to make it as easy as possible? Thanks.

[3100 MPFI]

the rear head is easier to do than the front. I just undo the exhaust downpipe and pull the rear manifold out with the head.

Just remove the alternator, upper and lower intake, pushrods, pull the bolts, bob's your uncle, and you are done.

[garylau]

Is it really that simple? It looks to me like I would have to pull the coilpack along with the bracket it mounts to and various other things that look like they would be in the way. Also, will I be able to leave the fuel rails and injectors alone? Thanks for your help. The guys paying me $200 + parts to do this, I'm just trying to make sure it's worth it and also make sure I can get it done for him in a reasonable time.

[3100 MPFI]

well, you didn't say which engine it was, but I just went with 3.1 MPFI, instead of 3100 SFI.

Yes, it is still that simple to do. You can just remove the coil packs, and set them aside. With the fuel rail, you can leave it attached to the lower intake manifold and set it aside. I think there is a small bracket that holds the metal lines down, but if you take out the 1 screw that holds it in, then you can just move it to the side.

You will also need to remove the power steering pump, but it is easy as well. You just undo the 3 bolts that you can get too through the 3 holes in the side of the pulley, and you can lift it off. I don't even remove the pulley. I just remove the cap on the end of the fuel rail, and undo the holddowns for the lines.

With the coil packs, there is the canister purge, but you can just remove it. Unplug it, undo the hose, and set it aside.

I can do a rear head gasket in about 8 hours, but I have been doing this for a while now. 8 hours is by no means a standard. Give yourself a couple of days so you can be sure you do it all correctly.

Also remember that service manuals are your friend.

[garylau]

It's the 3100, but it sounds like it will be more or less the same as what you've described. Thanks for all the info. I guess I should say thanks again, because if I remember correctly you've helped me out in the past, when I still had the Lumina.

[3100 MPFI]

your screenname looks familiar. If you have AIM, I am still on it. mpfi3100.

doing the rear head is easier than doing the front head because you don't have to remove any brackets as complicated as the AC bracket.

Easiest way to do it is pull off all your accessories on the top (airbox, power steering pump, DIS, canister purge, alternator and brackets), remove your intake manifold (I leave my throttle body attached to the plenum), remove the lower intake (I leave the fuel rail attached to the lower manifold, and just undo the quick connects on the fuel lines), and then pull the rear pushrods, undo the downpipe (or undo the rear manifold, whichever is easier for you), then pull the head.

The only thing I stress more than anything else is about the pushrods. Do NOT mix them up. If you do, you will bend a valve when you start the car. I get a cardboard box and punch 6 holes in it (one for each pushrod), and I push the pushrods into the holes in order that they came out. That way the ONLY way they can get mixed up is if someone comes back behind you and swaps them out).

I have a friend that mixed up just 2 pushrods on an engine, and bent a valve, and our boss was PISSED. It took us almost 2 weeks to get a new head for it.

[Juglenaut]

A tool that pulls the engine forward makes it a little more easy, always match push rods to the cylinder intake and exhaust. I also stress bolt matching, a bolt removed should go back in that spot especially on the intake manifold and heads, if you are planning on not buying new head bolts this is a must, never buy used head bolts simply because they don't match your engine.

Set out head bolts similar as posted above and with smaller bolts get a plastic organizer and arrange them in a memorable relation.

[garylau]

Okay, I need to ask one more question before I get any further, because I don't want to have to do more than necessary. I was wondering, can an intake manifold gasket cause antifreeze to get into the cylinders?

[3100 MPFI]

hmmmmm. I will not say it is not possible, but more like it is not likely. The only way I can think of it happening, it would flood your entire oil system with coolant.

It would have to work into the rocker area, and go down a leaking valve seal for that to happen. At least, that is the only way I can think of it happening, but something like that would have the whole oil pan filled up with coolant before the cylinder would fill up.

Headgasket is most likely.

[garylau]

Thanks, just checking. Diagnostics is not my strong suit.

[garylau]

Finally got a chance to work on it, and there are a couple of things giving me trouble. Do I have to remove the upper passenger side motor mount to release tension on the alternator? If so, is it safe to block up the motor under the oil pan? I usually try to avoid it, but this one looks pretty well reinforced. The other part I'm stuck on is the rear head shield. One of the bolt heads is stripped. I'm looking for a way around that.

[TazMan]

Okay, I need to ask one more question before I get any further, because I don't want to have to do more than necessary. I was wondering, can an intake manifold gasket cause antifreeze to get into the cylinders?

Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong or thinking of the wrong engine but wouldn't it be sucked into the cylinder by the intake port closest to the leak? I know thats what happened to me but I can't remember if it was the Grand Am or the Windstar. One of them had an intake port very close to the water passage.

[IsaacHayes]

It's possible.

You can place a jack with some wood under the oil pan to support the motor if you need to take the passenger side mount off.

[Barry]

These motors have a structural oil pan, so blocking it wont be an issue. You undo the mount by removing the 3 bolts in the T peice, and the 2 nuts or bolts on top of the mount. Then remove the nut under that, and the 2 bolts in the fender well. Then its basicly free.


It may seem like a pita at first, But i find the beretta mount to be really easy to work on.


FYI, its easiest to ubnbolt the 2 downpipe nuts, and pull the head with the manifold still on the head.

If you have anymore questions, we can all help you here.

[garylau]

So I don't really need the heat shields off if I unhook it at the downpipe, I'm hoping. I'll see in a few minutes. Thanks for your patience, guys. I'm starting an auto tech program in the fall, so hopefully the amount of questions will diminish.