[Tim Corcoran]

I have a 67 LeMans and I need to pull the drivers side head to do a repair. Can anyone give me any tips on how to get the bottom right head stud/nut off with the steering column in the way? Plus will need to torque the nut on the stud when I put it back on. Anyone done this before?

I sure don't want to pull the engine to get the head off.

[grivera]

Maybe disconnect and remove/move the steering column

[PunchT37]

Pull the l side motor mount through bolt, loosen the r bolt and lift the left side of the engine to clear the column.

[Sirrotica]

Raising the side up that you're working on, also makes removal, and. replacement of the headers much easier. You're not working blind, and can see the bolt heads.

When I removed the HO heads from my 73 T/A before selling it, I raised up each side as far as possible one side at a time, as it rolls the block away from the obstacles, better than raising it up on the center of the oil pan. My tool of choice is a bottle jack, contacting the engine off center to whichever side you're working on. Toss a block between the motor mount, and the frame stand just in case something shifts, and the engine would drop, no one wants their hands pinched if something should unexpectantly drop.

[steve25]

Decades ago I bought a long offset 12 point box wrench just for that one darn bolt.

[mysticmissle]

i pull the column in the 64

[dhcarguy]

I had to disconnect my column and rested the steering wheel over the seat back.

[track73]

I 1973 I was visiting a local Pontiac racer Red Nevins at the dealership where he worked in Clovis New Mexico. He removed a Pontiac cylinder head and didn't take off the intake. I did that 2 times, once fixing my 400 with a broke ring land and again the 455 with a burned piston . It helps to have a lift to remove the pan with out taking the engine out.

[Tim Corcoran]

Originally Posted by steve25

Decades ago I bought a long offset 12 point box wrench just for that one darn bolt.

Steve
I have studs not bolts and using HO/RA manifolds not headers. I will need to remove all the studs prior to pulling the head off. I still need to remove the stud then torque the nut when I re-install the head.

[geeteeohguy]

I've had the heads off my '67 GTO 3 times in the past 35 years. Never an issue. Just loosen the bolt all the way and leave it in place in the head and pull the head with the bolt in place. I do the same with exhaust manifolds. Never had to mess with the column.

[steve25]

Yes, but you missed it like I did, he is using studs.
You can get the nut off easy enough, but the stud has to come out if you can’t roll the motor up and over to the passenger side enough.

[Tim Corcoran]

I will be attempting the repair with the head on the engine. If I do end up pulling the head I will try removing the motor mount bolt, remove the bolts in the tranny mount and jacking it up on that side and if that doesn't work I will remove the steering column. Thanks for all the responses.

[Kenth]

What geeteeohguy said.
Bolts or studs, no difference, just loosen the stud all the way and leave it in place in the head and pull the head with the stud in place.

[steve25]

Maybe you may have used studs, but if so you have forgotten that they stick out way more from the underside of a head then bolts do.

This can make for more difficulty when removing a head with them in place .

[Kenth]

Why would you leave them in place? Why not remove them, just like bolts?

[BILL BOWMAN1]

Do you have the studs that you can remove with the Allen wrench? If not remove the steering column, I’ve done this too many times..

[johnta1]

just loosen the stud all the way and leave it in place in the head and pull the head with the stud in place.

Steve, I think Kenth meant that the stud is unscrewed, just leave it in the hole while picking up the head, then slide the stud out of head when out of car?

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Steve, I think Kenth meant that the stud is unscrewed, just leave it in the hole while picking up the head, then slide the stud out of head when out of car?

Yep. No different than a bolt. Not difficult at all.

[Tim Corcoran]

I can tell that some of you have not done this with studs and don't really understand how this complicates things based on your recommendations. If you leave the studs in, then you have to lift the head so far it will hit the steering column and then the power brake booster before it will clear the studs. Tilting the engine would most likely allow removal of the stud and then the head could be removed. If not then the steering column would need to be removed. I appreciate the suggestions and I know my options now. My current plan is to repair the head without removing it, if that is successful then problem solved.

Just removing the nut off the stud would require either tilting the engine and/or removing the steering column.

[Goatracer1]

For years I removed the heads in my GTO by just unscrewing the studs and like others have said leaving the last one in the head. I usually held it in place with an elastic band so it didn't flop around. MY studs didn't have provisions for unscrewing them so the first time I removed them I cut a small screwdriver slot in the end. I have also left the last bolt in the head when doing engines without studs also using the elastic band.