Head removal
 

Quick question,
I'm about to go remove the head on my friend's '05 SS, and I was wondering how easy it is to remove. Is it accessible without removing the rad? Can I get away with just draining the engine oil and coolant? Do I need to drain the intercooler aswell? Any help would be appreciated.. Thanks!

any particular reason you decided to remove the head?

I would recommend draining oil and engine coolant. Aftercooler system can stay. You don't really need to pull out exhaust or intake manifolds. Just remove nuts/studs and they can sit in the engine bay. The head is very easy to remove on these. Nothing really needs to come out of engine bay.

Is it easy enough to pull the head with the exh mani still attached? I'm doing a header at the same time, id rather unbolt it out of the car if I can. I'm not sure about re-installing it with the header attached, I would like to, but its a big ass header.

Yea, I have done it that way too. It will just obviously make the head more heavy and ackward, but easily doable.

I put my pacesetter down through the top, so i dont see why that wouldnt work.

Timing chain is going to be a lot of fun....get a book/service manual! Chiltons, Haynes, or factory service manual.

For the head removal, the chain isn't a huge deal.

Just put something in the spark plug holes and make all 4 pistons flat across. You can just un-do the chain around the cam gears and don't need to worry about the cams spinning and valve/piston contact. The valve's won't reach that far down with all 4 pistons flat.

For head re-install, the front cover will obviously need to be removed for re-timing, but that is very easy as well.

Just get the GM 300HP build book, does a lot better than service manuals.

Well, I got as far as draining the coolant and oil, and removing the valve cover before I decided it was time for dinner. Will I need to get an inverse torx socket set for this?

The reason I'm taking off the head is from my overheating/compression thread. I'm just trying to determine if the headgasket is blown (99% sure it is), and check to make sure the head isn't cracked.

4 of the headbolts near the front of the motor are E-Sockets. 2 inside the head, and 2 outside. Intake and exhaust manifold also use inverse torx on the studs.

Make sure to have the head checked by a machine shop. Blown headgasket = warped head. Probably needs decked. Stock headbolts are stretch as well and will need replaced, recommend ARP or Golden Eagle stud kits.

Awsome. You guys have been a great help.