Getting Head off 262 Engine

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:38 pm Post subject: Getting Head off 262 Engine

Here is question just posted:

Can anyone posssibly help me out. I am unable to take the top off my flat six, I have a 1951 Commodore with a 262. I have loosened all bolts on the top of the engine, but still I am unable to remove the top of the engine. Can anyone help or give me information to do this?

Answer:

You have completely removed all the head bolts? is this a cast or Aluminum head?

Since your head may have had a leak you might be looking at a head thats going to be stubborn. If its a cast iron head I take a rubber mallet and tap along the sides of the head. Moving around the complete head. Sometimes giving some swift hits. 99% of the time this does the job just fine. for Aluminum do the same just take a bit more care.

Give that try if it does not work we will escalate.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Its a Cast head and we cut a bolt off that was for a block heater because it wasnt possible to remove.

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

So have part of the bolt still in there?

I would blast that bolt with WD-40 or something

Then tap that head with mallet till you loosen it.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Yes, because how it was configured it had the block heater connector on top of this bolt which we could not remove so we cut it off and now removed the remaining nut that was at the top of the engine so now when you look at it there is nothing holding the head to the rest of the block.

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

Ok now get at it with mallet. Hit the front corner first then the rear corner do same on other side. You should feel it start to break free. Might take some taps to get free. Take time. I just popped a head the other day doing this engine had sat for years on floor.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Hey that you very much if you don't mind would it be possible to ask you more questions when I continue with my Hudson I'm only 16 and this is my first project, and I appeciate the help.

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

Sure ask as many questions as you like. Great news that you are 16 and working on a Hudson. Good to have younger Hudson folk working on cars. Keep up the work. Always here to help.

Lets get that car on the road for you. Post pics when you can.

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

Looked at the pics of your car you posted. You need to carefully look under your car and look at the frame rails that run under the door and the rails behind the rear wheels and running around the back of the car.

The Hudson sterpdown had a unibody construction the frame is integral to the body. You car looks like it might have rust in these areas. This could make the car unsafe to drive. To repair these areas of the frame will take an experienced welder. Something to keep in mind before you start spending money.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Thanks for yout concern but actually this car was undercoated from new. In some areas the undercoating is pealing off with age but the exposed metal is the factory painted black surfaces and there is no dammage to the structure of the car. All the rusted spots are not interfearing with the unibody structure they are all pieces of sheet metal that can be replaced. Because the car has only 20,000 original miles the car was parked in 1967 because the owner had only used it to got to church on Sundays.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

I have uploaded pictures of the undercarrage I did not take these pictures it was the guy I bought the Hudson from who sent me there then when me and my dad picked it up in Kanton South Dakota well could look at the undercarrage from the trailer.

51hornet · Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:30 am Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

Yup looks not to bad for the frame rails mostly surface rust. Thats lucky. Its a pain to have to repair the frame.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Hi Sean
I was able to take the head off today, I wasnt able to yesterday because it was raining. But sure enough I gave it a couple good whacks and the Head came loose. After taking the head off me and my dad knew the engine was seized. The 1st and 6th pistons were rusted to the cylinder walls. I have unseized and engine before but that was a small 2 stroke dirt bike engine of mine with PB Master Blaster and it worked but I do not know if this will work again. Do you possibly have any other methods of unseizing an engine? I have looked and saw PB Master Blaster, Wd-40, and Pouring diesel into the cylinders. So if I am not able to unseize the engine I have tought of putting a small block 350 chevy in it. Is it hard to conver the engine from 12 Volts to 6 volts or should I just rewire the car so that it is 12 volt cappible? Thank you very much again.
-Paul

51hornet · Last edited by 51hornet on Tue Jul 26, 2011 6:15 pm; edited 2 times in total

Its much the same method as you have done before. Fill each cylinder with PB Master Blaster and leave it. This is going to take about 2 weeks to unseize the engine. Each day add more if it evaporates. Make sure you clean the cylinder wall above the piston with some fine emory cloth with a bit of oil on it to get the rust out. Blow out each cylinder so they are clean of debris. Then hit them with PB Master Blaster make sure they are soaked and the pistons are completely covered. You can even add some motor oil to each to make sure the pistons are always covered.

Check each day and make sure pistons are covered so oil is seeping in doing the job on the rust. After about a week get a socket on the crank pulley and slowly start working the engine to see if you can get it to turn over. See if you can get a breaker bar with socket on it so you can apply leverage.

I have broken free loads of engines using this method. Its takes some time and if you are not it a huge hurry it should break free. After that if you want to rebuild you can or you can lower each piston and hone the cylinder to clean it up. Thats if you want a quick and dirty method of getting it running.

I would break it free then rebuild it myself rather than tossing in a 350. You will love the sound of a flat top Hudson engine running.

And yes you can easily rewire it for 12 volt if you like though I have never found anything wrong with 6v with a good battery.

So take your time keep blasting and oiling and prying and you should get her to free up.

51Commodore · Pacemaker Joined: Jul 24, 2011 Posts: 16

Thanks alot. I'm not in a hurry I have made a dead line to have the car running and driving by senior year, so I can have the coolest car in school. I will try this method like I did with my dirt bike and work it like you said. I also am looking for the chrome bottome trim that goes on the bottom of the car just like yours. I have looked at almost every place that makes reproduction hudson parts. Thanks again

51hornet · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Getting Head off 262 Engine

So how is it going? you keeping the oiling going? You sure are going to have the coolest car at school. If you keep that Flat Top no one will sound like yours.

Let me know how you are progressing and how the parts search is going.