[Mgs] Was Temp Sender, - Head Removal

[Max Heim]

I just tied the hood back with a rope to the rear bumper to get it out of
the way. Thanks to whoever suggested it.

The thermostat housing turned out to be a major struggle. The housing was
welded to the frontmost stud. With all nuts removed, you could see the stud
move, but it wouldn't come loose (and, obviously, it wouldn't turn). And the
passenger-side rear stud would not come out of the head (double-nutting it
just spun the threads off), or I could have just spun the whole housing.

We wound up flipping the head over onto a board laying across the fenders
(for clearance reasons -- remember, the temp sender was still attached), and
hacksawing the front stud. This put a few nicks in the head surface (JB Weld
to the rescue) and pretty much destroyed the housing (the neck was pretty
corroded already, so no big deal) and thermostat (slated for replacement
anyway).

The machine shop will have to extract the stud and remnant stump. The head
surface looked fine when cleaned up. I couldn't see any sign of where it
blew. It seemed flat enough using a straightedge. But the exhaust valves
were pretty recessed (#1 especially), so it is probably due for a valve job
(at least 50K miles on this head -- perhaps as much as 70K). It definitely
has valve seat inserts.

I can confirm that the head has 1.56" inlet valves, single valve springs,
and was not drilled for air injection or water choke.

--

Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires


on 11/18/08 12:19 PM, Richard Ewald at richard.ewald at gmail.com wrote:

> B hoods will stand straight up, no reason to remove one.  Depending on the
> year, you may have undo the hood support, but the hinges go straight up.  A
> broomstick on the correct length is a wonderful thing.
> As far as the head goes, I have always lifted them off the studs.
> Rick
> 
> 
>> 
>> 
>> But, it's been a
>> few years & I usually removed the hood first anyway.