Question on removing heads

[428Marauder]

Have an old 390, trying to remove the heads, seems like I am there, but they wont budge. Someone told me I need to remove the exhaust manifolds. Is that correct? Bolts seem like a royal pita to get to. Any tips?

[turbohunter]

Man I've been where you are.
The problem with removing the exhaust manifolds is you can get leverage while on the engine but the bolts will prolly break anyway.
These days since I'm not as strong as I used to be an engine hoist with a little upwards pressure and a dead blow hammer will probably get it done. If you leave the manifolds on then you can get to them and get some penetrant or wax with lots of heat to get them to release.
But it's a bitch no matter what.

[Falcon67]

An old trick is to thread in 4 bolts and leave them loose, put the plugs in and then spin the engine over with the starter.  Sometimes the compression will pop the head loose.  I have also removed them by inserting a pry bar wrapped with a rag into an intake port and gently prying the head loose. 

[428Marauder]

So, it is possible to remove them without removing the exhaust manifolds?

[turbohunter]

Don't see why not if you've disconnected or cut the exhaust pipe.

[428Marauder]

Do the exhaust pipe bolts go through to the head? The exhast is cut out, but still connected.

[turbohunter]

Yes exhaust manifold bolts go to head only.
Separate from block.
Think I'd use the engine hoist method since it'll be heavy as hell.

[428Marauder]

The intake manifold is already removed, as are the 8 obvious bolts where the exhaust manifolds bolt to the heads. But there are more bolts on the underside of the exhaust manifold. These are the hard to get to ones.

[428Marauder]

Does anyone know how many of those underneath bolts there are? I got one out so far.

[turbohunter]

I'm guessing you have 14 bolt heads on there.

[428Marauder]

Any tips on removing them without a hoist?

[turbohunter]

Like Falcon I've used a pry bar and a rag. And a dead blow hammer.

[428Marauder]

Still needing to get those bolts out though. Or is the idea to try and break them?

[turbohunter]

Try not to break them.
They are a lot harder than the head material so if you have to drill them out its tough not to screw up the hole. Just be careful. If you do, then you do. We've all been there.
Again, heat on the head is your friend. Lots of penetrant or wax.

[428Marauder]

I got 2 out on one side. The problem is not that they are frozen in there, it's that there is no room to move a socket wrench into position.