1991 - Ranger 2.3
Blown Head Gasket - verified by compression test - no compression in Cyl-1, great in 2, 3 and 4
Took everything off; exhaust, intake manifolds, all of the head bolts (10)

Cannot get the head to budge
Tripple checked all bolts, etc
Used mallets (wood and rubber)
Used Hammer with a block of wood
Used a bigger hammer with a block of wood

I stopped short of the prying method

Came hear to get some advice - HELP!

 

Count the head bolts, should be 10

Use a block of wood against the head and hit it with a hammer

 

Yup, did that - removed all 10 - used a light sledge against the wood block - this baby is STUCK!

 

Got a hammer drill?
Vibration might loosen it

All thats holding it are the dowel sleeves

You are pulling the head off so you could put a wooden dowel or similar in #1 and turn the crank so piston pushes up on the head from inside

 

I'm curious how many miles on the motor??

 

150K

Just configured a bearing removal tool into a spreader and attached to a bolt in the block and one in the head. Tightened until the bolts started to bend. Then started hitting with a hammer - still has not budged......Yes, all 10 head bolts are removed.

 

Look for where the last owner welded head to block......................................

Do you have the cam removed so valves are all closed?

If so coil a rope down inside cylinder 1 via spark plug hole and then manually turn crank so piston 1 is pushing up on head from the inside, you can also try starter motor to push that piston up