biturbomax

I world like to' know tour opinion about the trick rope. I must remove two stuck cylinder heads from a Maserati v6 engine. Do you think it is a safe method, or there is a possibility to damage engine parts such as connecting rods ??

Rob Edwards

Without knowing the first thing about Maserati V6 engines I would assume that as long as the cams are out and all the valves are completely closed that the head will give before the connecting rod does.

Is this an example of the Maserati biturbo V6 living up to its reputation?

terry gt

no

James Bailey

Can not help but think of the first iterations of the stroker 928 engines where the offset for the connecting rods/crank piston alignment was not centered.....so the piston put huge stresses on the small end of the conn rod.

Have to figure the pile of rope shoved into the cylinder is PROBABLY not going to be even and the forces would end up at some kind of an angle.

928 at last

What have you tried so far?

Fogey1

I don't see why it wouldn't be safe.

Fixed it for ya, Rob. I'd hate to have a head I could break with the force I could apply. Pace, Aristotle, about that lever and fulcrum.

Yes, but ... the force from a ratchet on the crank bolt doesn't really compare to combustion, right?

Wisconsin Joe

That would depend on how much rope was stuffed in. If it's a good amount and the piston isn't right near TDC, then the force wouldn't be all that much.

But if it's just enough rope to fit the combustion chamber, then the leverage of the crank right at the top of the stroke could possibly multiply the force enough to do damage.

I would think that as long as the piston is down the cylinder a ways then it would be safe, but I don't know jack about Maseratis, so this advice is worth what you paid for it.

docmirror

We use it on the Ferrari 6 cyl(Dino) engines, as well as the early V8 engines which suffer from dissimilar metals corrosion. I think I would put some rope in each bore, and work the crank around so that each one gets a bit of push. I can't recall if the Maserati has studs on that engine, but you want to be careful you don't draw up a stud as you go and ruin the threads. Use lots of Kroil or similar as a penitrant.

Lizard928

Don't think I would be doing this personally.....

Bearings are soft metal and the forced with this happening without the oil pressure protection could increase bearing tolerances......

TexasDude74

I would think the force on the bearings would be minimal, no where near what they would see when that cylinder fired. I suppose if one were to use a six foot breaker bar with a 300lb man jumping up and down on the end of it or a 2500 ft/lb impact you could damage something. I've heard of this trick before, but never from anyone that claims to actually have done it, always some friend of a friend or something like that. If the rope trick doesn't work, you could always try a quart of nitro methane in the cylinders and a torch! Nitro meth has separated numerous cylinder heads from blocks.

Imo000

Instead of rope, why not fill the cylinders with fluid, like diesel, re install the plugs and crank it over by HAND.

Rob Edwards

They also make cylinder head puller plates, commonly used on semi-valuable Italian cylinder heads where the studs have corroded to the aluminum.

Perhaps there's a 3-cylinder version:

dr bob

Rope will be fine, but the valves MUST be closed. You get to stuff each cylinder successively and rotate to nudge the head off. Start with the middle cylinder.

Rob's "...commonly used on semi-valuable Italian cylinder heads" derscription applies to the Maser V6 heads for sure.

jpitman2

I helped pull an Alfa head once that was reluctant - studs, and very difficult to get a grip on the head due to rubber mounted Webers. We filled the block with hottest water possible to the head joint only, several times , and eventually it came loose...
jp 83 Euro S AT 55k

RKD in OKC

Coworkers Dad (Chevy Racer Mechanic) did the rope thing on a 944 he was rebuilding. Claimed it worked. And I did see the car drive for a short time after the rebuild, but it didn't run for long. He said building them Porsche motors is a lot different than what he was used to.