Removal of cylinder heads - saltwater engine

[Caseyuconn]

As a follow up to my overheating issues, I am contemplating removing my cylinder heads to replace the diverters and clean the water jackets (after the pound of sand found in the lower unit Im sure the heads are clogged)

I just bought this motor, 1995 88 SPL, but from the paint on the head bolts they appear never to have been removed.

I am looking for advice, how often do these bolts snap off during removal?
I planned on running the motor for 15 mins then attempting to remove the heads with the metal warmed up. I am hesitant to perform this only from a breaking of bolts stand point?

Any advice?

 

[sly_karma]

Re: Removal of cylinder heads - saltwater engine

As an occasional mechanic who knows barely enough to be dangerous, I'm scared silly of breaking off bolts too. I snapped a lower unit bolt on the way to changing my water pump and I thought the world had come to an end. Towed it to my friendly local machine shop (with advance notice) and they heated it up and had it out in minutes, cost me $30. Shop mechanics deal with this a lot in the marine game, just part of the day to them. Warming it up first sounds like a good idea to me, but the sky won't fall if you do break one.

 

[emoney]

Re: Removal of cylinder heads - saltwater engine

The key is to just use common sense and instinct. If a nutshell, if it feels like there's way too much resistance, then there probably is. Every bolt I've ever broke off has always been because I pushed it too far. If you standing on a breaker bar, and having your kids jump on your shoulder for more leverage, then odds are it's too much pressure. Warming it up is a good idea, but you can also do a more effecient job of that by applying some heat directly to the bolts themselves. Heat will dissipate from running it, but it takes longer and you probably won't want to handle the head or bolts yourself. Using a gentle torch on them and they cool faster when you get them removed. Keep the PB Blaster on hand, even if it doesn't look like they need it. You'll be fine just be cautious.

I'm sure you could always pay a machine shop or mechanic to remove them for you if you feel safer. Whatever your first gut instinct is, that's what I'd go with.

 

[dehydrated]

Re: Removal of cylinder heads - saltwater engine

You might be surprized that they will just come out clean without any breaks its a 50 percent chance all the worrying for nothing only one way to find out