TeamSwift

It's been a long time since I've actually STARTED a thread, so grab a cup of your favorite beverage and check it out.

Punxsutawney Phil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puxatony_phil
saw his shadow today, which means it is Ground Hogs Day, that revered holiday celebrated with great gusto throughout North America. We've got 6 more weeks to get those engines off the bench, and today is a good day to look at your head locator pins.
Those two hollow locator pins have a tendency to get stuck in the head; how can you get them out without any damage?
The machine shop has tools to get them out, but if you have two left thumbs, here's a way to do it without breaking the bank.

First, a list of our tools:

You'll need
1.) A head bolt. I'm going to be using the 3 Tech head bolts, proving they are multifunctional and as usual, I recommend you buy your parts from the guys who support this site.
2.) Some kind of hammer or tapping device.
3.) A Vice Grip holding a fairly decent box nail - make sure it has a good head (insert joke here).
4.) The two pins removed with no damage.

Next, our set up, or the 'before' shot:

Prior to getting that sleeve out, you put the nail head in the little space above the collar.
You will be able to 'feel' the gap, and you can even put the nail in at an angle to help hold it.
You'll be tapping that head bolt, and moving the head of the nail to several different angles until it moves.

Last, our 'after' shot, showing the finished product:

The hammer has not damaged the 'valve cover mating' surface of the head, the head bolt tapped the nail head, which pushed the little spacer out cleanly and with no damage.

You can vary the technique by placing the nail in from the top, and skipping the head bolt, but sometimes the nail will bend.

Next time you are confronted with a stuck sleeve, give this technique a try.
I've been using it for many years and haven't messed one up yet. When I get in a hurry, and try to use the Vise-Grips and yank out that collar without the nail...my two left thumbs end up scoring or crushing those pins.
Hopefully, this 'back yard mechanic' technique will not make the professional cylinder head men cringe.
It works.

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DIY Broken Bolt Removal: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=41042
DIY Clutch Adjustment: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48281
DIY Wheel Bearings: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29003
DIY Shocks: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45483
DIY Wheel Align: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42479
Once you get the cars dialed-in (compression, leaks, bearings, alignment, brakes) swap in new rubber and glass, you've got something which should last for years!

Phil,

Excellent write-up and glad to see you posting some new info. Ive used a similar technique for years, my only difference was I used a hardwood dowel in place of the bolt.

For those that have found themselves totally destroying a pin will find that 3/8" stainless tubing will suffice for a replacement. I do believe someone else made that statement here at Teamswift some time ago.

As for the good head....Ive never quite thought of that in reference to nails!

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Mike
Valley Grande, AL
1986 Sprint plus

Do you maintain a personal fleet like I do?
Why do we do it?
Because it's what we enjoy and because we CAN.
2011 camaro, 2005 Vibe, 2016 Outback, 06 Expedition, 87 Porsche 911, 87 Turbo sprint, 82 Brat, 73 gmc 4x4, 69 camaro, 99 Gl1500 Honda Goldwing, 12 Kawasaki klr650, 2012 Kubota L3200, and we wont even go into the small stuff.

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Wait hold on there .
I'll tell you wether Punxsutawney Phil has it going on I'm swamped now
But i'm on it in the AM....jv&s

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Perhaps this thread should have been titled... "If it don't fit... don't force it. Just relax and let it go....."

One day.... When I grow up... and actually take a camera along.. I'll write up my dirty little cheat on how to remove drive shafts without taking off the entire hub as per the book..... Since I have to do a cv boot on ole blue in the next two weeks, I might just do that. (as I oversee my son performing the operation....)

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Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.HP is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how much you push the wall out.

can't you just lock two nuts on the end of the stud and back them off ? or get a stud extractor ?
forgive me if I'm ignorant of this process.

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Silver 2000 Firefly 4DR; 16V SOHC, 3 to 5 speed swap, install PS and AC, remote and auto start, PL, PW, kill and start switch, Valentine 1, behind-bumper CAI, 55MM TB with coolant-bypass, polyurethane-fill engine/shifter mounts, modified to short shifter, upgraded electrical system, CS130 alternator, 90/160W headlights + relay mod, ceramic H4 plug/harness
To do: finish stereo, 4000K H4 HIDs, short block replacement
'sponsored' by Captain Crunch, Lordco, Felpro, Permatex, Royal Purple

Excellent idea.
I volunteer you to make a "DIY Stud Removal" thread.

This was an animal of a different color.
We were removing the #4s in the first picture, etc.

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DIY Broken Bolt Removal: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=41042
DIY Clutch Adjustment: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48281
DIY Wheel Bearings: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29003
DIY Shocks: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45483
DIY Wheel Align: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42479
Once you get the cars dialed-in (compression, leaks, bearings, alignment, brakes) swap in new rubber and glass, you've got something which should last for years!

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.Tried and true method it worked well.
Well done Punxsutawney Phil
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Same here. I have bought quite a few from Nauck and have never had a problem. The "Disk-O-File" brown pasteboard sleeves are especially nice and available in a wide variety of sizes.

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Youth clothing