<VV> RE: Engine air baffles--Follow-up question (long answer)

[Craig Nicol]

<super snip>
<snip> [Engine air baffles] should be installed after 
the heads are slid onto the cases, but before the
pushrod tubes are installled. <snip>

Does this mean they can't be removed/replaced without
removing the pushrod tubes?  The question is related
to cleaning a load of greasy oil and mouse residue
from a vehicle taken from storage--there appears to be
grease between the baffles and the cylinders
themselves.

Kent Duncan <un supersnip>

You will have to remove the pushrod tubes and pushrods to install the air
baffles.  Now this is where your earlier question about the wisdom/problems
related to removing certain engine parts comes in.  It isn't the exhaust
manifolds that cause trouble; it's the upper cylinder head studs.  In order
to remove the pushrod tubes, you have to remove the rocker arms and lower
cylinder head studs.  If you loosen all of the lower cylinder head studs,
you will have to loosen all the upper studs in preparation for a retorquing
of the heads.  The upper studs tend to corrode and when the nuts are coming
off they will sometimes seize and unscrew the stud from the block (not
good). Additionally, upper studs are the ones that tend to pull out of the
block (ruining the threads); also not good.  If your upper stud threads are
clean and/or well lubed, you will likely get away with removing the nuts and
later retorquing.  However, if they are not...

Here's a workaround that removes two tubes at a time and usually circumvents
the loosening of the upper studs.
1) remove two rocker arms on a given cylinder
2) remove the two rocker arm studs and the guide plate
3) remove the two pushrod tubes
4) temporarily reinstall the two studs and guide plate AND TORQUE them to
30#
5) repeat for the other two cylinders
Now you have a torqued head without pushrod tubes
6) install the baffle now
7) remove two studs, install pushrod tubes, guide plate, studs and retorque
8) repeat for the other two cylinders

Yes, this is a lot of extra work.  Consider this method if the upper stud
threads aren't in good shape.  If the upper studs appear to be workable,
clean and oil the threads, hold the stud with a vice grip down near the
block, and gingerly try removing the upper nuts. Do not allow the stud to
turn. Retorque normally when you have it all back together. 

If you don't have a pushrod tube removal tool, purchase one or consult my
techlines tip (Communique Jan 2006)about how to make one from an old tube.
Craig Nicol
65,66,67,68