REDZED2

After 10 days between work/vacation and a couple hours here and there and my arthritis.. I finally got the heads off today. Wiggle checked all 16 guides. 9 had very visible movement. Even a couple intakes. There was even clicking on 1. Yep engine was built July 2007. In the worst era of the real bad head batch. If I did this again it would be much faster. Again with only myself and not using power tools. Was a bitch to magnet off my lash caps.. dunno why. They would spin easy on the valve tip but wouldn't wanna pull off.. after 20 min. I got those buggers off one by one (after heads were removed) and I had a strong magnet. Hoping within 10 days she'll be running! Just don't have the time!
Good thing is head deck on block is pretty clean so prep time should be short!

SSMOKE

Congrats! I need/want to at least wiggle test my rebuilt heads, but feel that that job is out of my league. I appreciate the DIY and have looked both the WIGGLE TEST DIY and the SWAP HEADS DIY, but I am not comfortable with either one. Are you going to send your heads to someone for a rebuild? I used WCCH in 2013. If I had to do it all over again and I might have to, I would check with American Heritage. Good luck with the second 1/2.

olddragger

Other than the usual I will give you another hint.... May sure the drivers side exhaust manifold is in the car before you put the drivers side head on. If you don't you will have to reinstall from the bottom.....takes longer to do.
One step at the time

Cman01

Are these the factory untouched OE heads you are pulling off your car? I thought I read somewhere on another post you did where you mentioned this was a second go around for you pulling the heads off your car.

If it's the first go around no worries but if it isn't and the heads were done before who did them and how long were they on the car till you felt you needed to redo this and found bad guides again???

Tony

REDZED2

Ok first reply to SSMOKE: I have a redone set at the ready... ported and milled from AI.. shipping my original cooked heads back to AI for core refund.

REDZED2

olddragger... I never had to remove the ex. manifolds from the engine bay.. just unbolt them at the top(head) and bottom 2 bolt flange and had enough room to remove the lower head bolts and lots of clearance.

REDZED2

Tony.. no, You are confusing me with someone else possibly.. these are the original factory heads with 12,700 miles on them.. never been touched..just the guides are shot like ***** bud!

REDZED2

If I didn't tear apart my C5Z a hundred times from front to back I'm not sure I would feel comfy doing this.... besides the pain and the hot garage, sweating my *** off its relatively easy step by step.. the worst thing is my joints don't allow me to work on a car all day long (8-10 hours in a day) like I could 5-7 years ago.

REDZED2

This is the peace of mind I need as I have the proof of severe worn guides.. at least 8 or 9 can physically be seen moving back n forth!! So it had to be done. Just on my time.. summers just getting going here. So I should have close to 4 months to cruise still after swap. Next year headers and that will be it.. Don't need any more power mods... Brakes and a couple other small things.

Cman01

I think it was this thread I was referring to:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...questions.html

Your title made me think that you were redoing this job again and not doing it for the first time on your car.

Dan_the_C5_Man

Well, you might want to re-think your plan a bit.

Removing the stock exhaust on the driver's side is already a huge PIA.

"Installing" headers with the heads removed - zero effort. Installing them with the heads on, 10x more difficult.

So, think about this; your time, your effort, your back muscles.. Installing them before you put the new heads on sounds like something you should consider.

SSMOKE

Great point Dan the C5 Man!

REDZED2

I have factory manifolds Dan that clear the heads and are only unbolted at the heads and the underside tunnel plate 2 bolt flange. Its a matter or 3" or movement to bolt them back on. They just rest against the frame. Plenty of room. Nothing removed!

REDZED2

Yeah that was me a couple weeks ago... just things are taking longer cause of time. 1/2 way there Tony.

Dan_the_C5_Man

You aren't catching on..

My post was an answer to your post, where you said "I will install headers next year...".

Again, my point was "if you are ever going to purchase and install headers, do that NOW, while the heads are off".

Comprende'?

outhouse

Its a good thing you tore it down and addressed the guides/heads before failure.


in 10 weeks I will do the same as you.


My 06 may never look as clean as a newer one, but it sure will run like one

REDZED2

Yeppers I comprehend you! .. Gotcha Dan, sorry I wasn't getting it.. a long night at work on little sleep, probably why its taking me 2 + weeks to do this...

Ok headers... 1 thing is $$$$$ as I have just spent $2700 CDN. on the heads from AI (plus PR's and ARP bolts etc..(it all adds up) Another is I have done 2 buddies C6Z's LT's and it wasn't that hard really. (LG & ARH) Piggy bank is empty for mods the rest of the year bud. Thanks for the advice though! I'm just not flushed as I used to be. This was a NEED.. headers are a WANT.

REDZED2

I'm sure once you address the heads you will never look back! Just drive and enjoy man!