[HotRodMan]

I have a 67 327 engine in a street rod where the cowl - fire wall comes over the distributor so close that you can not remove the distributor. I need to replace a head gasket and was wondering if I could leave the intake manifold and distributor in place and remove the head so I can replace the head gasket? I know this is not the usual way of doing this but other wise I will have to lower the engine and transmission to get the distributor out which is a lot of extra work. Anyone ever done it this way successfully?

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by HotRodMan

I have a 67 327 engine in a street rod where the cowl - fire wall comes over the distributor so close that you can not remove the distributor. I need to replace a head gasket and was wondering if I could leave the intake manifold and distributor in place and remove the head so I can replace the head gasket? I know this is not the usual way of doing this but other wise I will have to lower the engine and transmission to get the distributor out which is a lot of extra work. Anyone ever done it this way successfully?

No. You must remove the intake also.

Sorry...

[HalfOunce]

I've seen it done......never done it that way but have seen it done.

[nitro_baller4692]

you can do it but it's not the best way.i've done it on a 440 with a 671 dyres blower and had no problem but that was at the track and pressed for time.if you have the time do it right and remimber that the other gasket is usualy the same age,and will go out it's self.i would take the time and change both but like i said it can be done.remimber you might do twice the work in the long run.

[Deuce]

I had to remove the cap and the rotor button from the distributor ... and the motor mounts and lower the the front of the engine to remove a distributor before ... ( not a car I built )

Difficult and time consuming but not impossible ...

[RHamm1320]

I have done it before on the dyno. Not fun, but possible.

You need to loosen the intake and then you lift the head enough to get it over the dowels.

Be careful putting the head back on to not hurt the head gasket. Then use RTV Black to seal the intake to valley and Gorilla Snot (3m weather strip adhesive) to glue the intake gasket in place before putting the head on (let it dry so it holds on tight - there is enough to worry about without having to fish a loose gasket around)

[powerrodsmike]

I saw a friend of mine do that on a 454 in a motor home while camping at a civil war reenactment. He called it "sneaking it in".
later, mikey

[docvette]

Originally Posted by HotRodMan

I have a 67 327 engine in a street rod where the cowl - fire wall comes over the distributor so close that you can not remove the distributor. I need to replace a head gasket and was wondering if I could leave the intake manifold and distributor in place and remove the head so I can replace the head gasket? I know this is not the usual way of doing this but other wise I will have to lower the engine and transmission to get the distributor out which is a lot of extra work. Anyone ever done it this way successfully?

Doc here,

It would seem to me if you do it this way, you are going to have sealing problems forever..a crapshoot at best..like the intake manifold gasket , the end pieces that go into the valley, and the like..not to mention possible body damage. It's hard enough to R&R heads without denting anything optimally.

About dropping or angling , you may not be able to do that either without crushing the firewall (if the Dizzy is that close..) depends on where it sits..

This is a 67 What?

To me , it seems easier to pull the engine and do it right once..and be done with it..then fixing dribbles and leaks forever..and pounding out fenders and firewalls..

Maybe while it's out, engineer some space , in case there is ever a "Next time"..

Doc

[k-star]

The shop i used to work at did it one time in a boat,,, It was time consuming, but we had zero issues with leaks...


Keith

[39 chev]

Yes you can do it. I did it on a 327 chevy in a 62 biscayne,I drove the car for a year or so after the head change,and had no leakage problems whatever. I say go for it.

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by docvette

Doc here,

It would seem to me if you do it this way, you are going to have sealing problems forever..a crapshoot at best..like the intake manifold gasket , the end pieces that go into the valley, and the like..not to mention possible body damage. It's hard enough to R&R heads without denting anything optimally.

About dropping or angling , you may not be able to do that either without crushing the firewall (if the Dizzy is that close..) depends on where it sits..

This is a 67 What?

To me , it seems easier to pull the engine and do it right once..and be done with it..then fixing dribbles and leaks forever..and pounding out fenders and firewalls..

Maybe while it's out, engineer some space , in case there is ever a "Next time"..

Doc

I'm with you Doc. I have seen people do some pretty strange things and make it work in the past. Just because it is possible does not mean that it should be promoted.

Here are ten new topics that I can see being started as a result of this attempt:

1. Intake leak

2. Head gasket leak.

3. Cannot get head on locating pins.

4. How to hold gasket in place while inserting head from
the side.

5. Engine runs rough.

6. Oil in cylinders.

7. Oil in coolant.

8. Oil all over the place.

9. Coolant leak.

10. Please Help!!!!

I realize just how much of a PITA it can be to do this work in some engine compartments...I have to remove the carb, intake plenum and pull the engine forward about 4" to get my distributor out (not fun), but rather than attempt a shortcut that may or may not work I choose to go through the hassle.

The way I see it you have a 50/50 chance of getting away with it. If it doesn't work the first time then it will not work at all and you will be right back to square one.

[cabowabo]

to switch to a crankshaft tigger system

[cool rockin daddy]

Huh?

[powerrodsmike]

Crank trigger = no more distributer under the firewall issues.
mikey

[HotRodMan]

This is a 67 327 engine in a 1930 model A, to answer docs's question. I am going to wait about tearing into the motor until I can get a little better idea of what is really going on. I may have multiple problems in which case a new long block is about the same price as a complete rebuild so I may do that if the final inspection warrant's it.

I bought a leak down tester, which has further confused the issue, and checked the two low cylinders on the car and I only had a 5 percent leak down on each cylinder which is what a new motor has.(according to the directions) The 5 percent was leaking out the exhaust valve. Compression test on these two cylinders was 110 and 140. When the car was running I got bubbles in the radiator, and the vacuum gauge only had a very slight back and forth movement to it.

I'm thinking I may have a cracked block or head that opens up only when it gets real hot. Still not sure what is causing the overheating problem. Will continue to investigate. Thanks for all the ideas so far. Any other comments appreciated.