Any Tips On Pulling The Head?

[john]

I will be pulling the head off my 92 talon tsi this weekend and next week. I am going to be installing ARP head studs and swapping the head gasket. Any tips for a newbie? So far, my plan is to unbolt the head, and disconnect the thermostat housing, unplug the electrical connectors and hoses I come across, and hopefully I will have it off. Anything major I am skipping? I plan on unbolting the cams while zip tying the cam gears and the belt together. I have power steering and the bracket already removed.

Any other bolts or brackets I am missing that hold the head on? Is it pretty strait forward? what head gastet should I get. I have heard of felpro? Currently I plan on a OEM gasket. Where do I get the copperspray? Napa? Thanks in advance, John.

BTW, the exhaust, turbo, etc are off the front. I plan on pulling the intake manifold off with the head.

[Halon]

there is a bracket on the back of the intake manifold that bolts to it and the block. A lot of people overlook that when taking off the head and can't figure out why the hell the head isn't lifting off. The bracket also has 2 electrial plugs on it, so when you're undoing all the electrical plugs and you pull those 2 off, then THAT is the bracked you have to just unbolt from the intake mani, and then you'll be cool. Also to speed up the process, just undo the 4 bolts that hold the turbo to the manifold, and take the head off with the exhaust many still attached, that way you don't gotta drop the turbo like i did my first time. saves a little bit of time! Hmm... Don't forget to label everything so u know where it goes when you put it back on. I trimmed one of the motor mounts after the head was off. There is a vfaq on it, it just makes it easier when you put the head back on when you're using ARP headstuds. Um... that's all I can think of at the moment, if I think of anything more I'll let you know!

just remembered another thing i almost messed up once. my car was a california model so it had this little sensor thingy-ma-jig that kinda screwed into the back of the intake manifold kinda by the egr. If you have one, don't forget to disconnect it like i did once!

oem composite headgasket and arp's is just fine!! Shouldn't need the copperspray if your using the composite gasket

[Shane@DBPerformance]

Don't get the Felpro.

You will need to keep some tension on the cam gear to keep it from skipping on the bottom. You will probably need a tensioner tool to relieve some of the tension on the cam gears or else you might not be able to get them back on. Put everything at TDC before you start and then check and your marks when your done.

[JET]

Originally posted by me612@Mar 2 2004, 08:54 PM
The bracket also has 2 electrial plugs on it, so when you're undoing all the electrical plugs and you pull those 2 off, then THAT is the bracked you have to just unbolt from the intake mani, and then you'll be cool.
Nope, that is not the correct bracket. The bracket is under the intake manifold by the firewall. The 2 bolts are on the upper 2 corners. You will find the bracket easily, it is huge. The bracket me612 is talking about would be the bracket that holds on the ignition transistor and that can stay on. I just finished up mine 10 minutes ago, so if you have any more questions, now is the time!

[slowbubblecar]

where can we/he get the tensioner tool.

[AJ]

Originally posted by JET+Mar 2 2004, 10:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (JET @ Mar 2 2004, 10:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-me612@Mar 2 2004, 08:54 PM
The bracket also has 2 electrial plugs on it, so when you're undoing all the electrical plugs and you pull those 2 off, then THAT is the bracked you have to just unbolt from the intake mani, and then you'll be cool.
Nope, that is not the correct bracket. The bracket is under the intake manifold by the firewall. The 2 bolts are on the upper 2 corners. You will find the bracket easily, it is huge. The bracket me612 is talking about would be the bracket that holds on the ignition transistor and that can stay on. I just finished up mine 10 minutes ago, so if you have any more questions, now is the time! [/b][/quote]
Yup, I just did one today and I must say I love doing it with the complete motor out fo the car :bowdown:

[Halon]

Originally posted by JET+Mar 2 2004, 10:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (JET @ Mar 2 2004, 10:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-me612@Mar 2 2004, 08:54 PM
The bracket also has 2 electrial plugs on it, so when you're undoing all the electrical plugs and you pull those 2 off, then THAT is the bracked you have to just unbolt from the intake mani, and then you'll be cool.
Nope, that is not the correct bracket. The bracket is under the intake manifold by the firewall. The 2 bolts are on the upper 2 corners. You will find the bracket easily, it is huge. The bracket me612 is talking about would be the bracket that holds on the ignition transistor and that can stay on. I just finished up mine 10 minutes ago, so if you have any more questions, now is the time! [/b][/quote]
umm.... i will have to go look when i get off work, but i swear to holy jesus i am right about that bracket. Yes its on the back of the intake manifold by the firewall. There are 2 bolts holding it onto the intake manifold, and one holding it to the block. And between the 2 bolts on the intake manifold are 2 electrical plug harnesses that go to i dunno where. I will look once i get off work and take pictures. Plus it'll look goofy on my car because i didn't bolt it back onto the intake manifold, so its kinda crooked

[john]

I am not sure who is right but a pic would be awsome.

[JET]

I am right. :razz2:

[Halon]

I am righthttp://www.sddsm.org/forum/images/smiles/yippee.gif. As you can clearly see in the picture, there is a bracket which is not attached to my intake mani anymore because I think it just makes life easier when removing the head. You can see that all your emissions lines are attached to this bracket, and there are also two electrical connectors on it. So make sure to unbolt that from the intake mani or else you'll be sitting there wondering why it seems like the head is stuck on there!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/p582a6eb95612a60b0ae36b8fdd614776/f972eb87.jpg