Cylinder liner clamps

[opethmike]

I'm ready to pull the heads on my car. While I'm waiting for liner clamps to come in, can I use accordingly sized fender washers?

[DMCMW Dave]

I'm ready to pull the heads on my car. While I'm waiting for liner clamps to come in, can I use accordingly sized fender washers?

I've see that done, you'll need to find some approprately short head bolts. OR a huge stack of washers.:eek1:

[opethmike]

I've see that done, you'll need to find some approprately short head bolts. OR a huge stack of washers.:eek1:

So doing this is "safe" and will keep the liners in place? Also, would the fender washers interfere with piston movement?

[dmc6960]

While I'm waiting for liner clamps to come in

Huh? So you found a set of standard issue liner clamps?

The thing about washers, you'll want to make sure they are a solid thick washers, cheap thin fender washers may not have enough strength to keep them fully seated. I made my own using aluminum bar stock, but did not cut them for piston insertion.

They will not interfere with the pistons, they stop a few MM from the top at their highest. I did have a difficult time finding short bolts with the right thread.

If you can trust yourself to not touch the engine once the heads are off, you dont even need to clamp the liners. I dont see why you would need to turn the engine when working on the heads.

[opethmike]

Huh? So you found a set of standard issue liner clamps?

The thing about washers, you'll want to make sure they are a solid thick washers, cheap thin fender washers may not have enough strength to keep them fully seated. I made my own using aluminum bar stock, but did not cut them for piston insertion.

They will not interfere with the pistons, they stop a few MM from the top at their highest. I did have a difficult time finding short bolts with the right thread.

If you can trust yourself to not touch the engine once the heads are off, you dont even need to clamp the liners. I dont see why you would need to turn the engine when working on the heads.

I've been talking with someone that has a second pair getting made for them that may loan me the pair.

I definitely don't have to have the clamps since I'm just swapping heads, but since I might pull the heads before I receive the new heads, I would want the peace of mind that nothing moves. You know, a just in case type of thing.

[dmc6960]

I better ask here since its relevant...

Have your been told yet the proper way to remove the heads without disturbing the liners?

And even if the answer is yes, here it is for all to see...

Tilt from the intake side to the exhaust side, so its acting like its falling off the side of the engine block, NOT falling into the valley or pulling strait up. From the view from the rear of the car, the passenger side head falls to the right, and the drivers side falls to the left.

[opethmike]

Yep, Mike from DMC-Midwest gave me that pointer. I've pulled several heads before, but never with these sort of liners that can unseat.

[Spittybug]

Mike, take some pictures.... I fear I have to pull one of my heads one of these days since I think I have a leak that is dripping near the dipstick area. I've never done this and would like to see what I'm in for.

Owen

[opethmike]

I'll try to. Unfortunately, my camera is broken right now. Everything except for the heads are off now. It really isn't that bad, just very time consuming. The part that is easily the worst is the removal of the exhaust.

[jmettee]

I'll hi-jack the thread & post some pics of my rebuild as a reference of what you'll be looking at.

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[opethmike]

Thanks for filling in that information, Justin.

I pulled the heads today using the tilting to the side technique today. Liners all seem to have stayed perfectly in place.

I used bolts and big f'ing washers as substitution for liner clamps.

Before I put those into place, I cleaned the threads in the block. Amazing how dirty they get!

[opethmike]

Thought for testing if the liners have dislodged, but not obviously so - Could one fill coolant around the liners, wait a few hours, and then crack the sump plug open: Oil comes out first, liners are fine. Coolant drips out, some liner has become dislodged.

Make sense?