The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Piston question

After cranking the engine and finding out I had no compression on the number 4 piston I took a look and saw that the piston has a small hole in it. Can you take the head off without removing the rods for the valves and rockers? I'm going to replace the piston and was not sure if I could do this or not.

You'll need to drop the pan to pull the piston, and yes the valve cover, rocker arm, and push rods will come out too.

Have you read through the manual yet? 54 Manual that's always a good idea before you get to started

right, but what I was wondering do you have to take the valve train off to take off the head. If I can just take the head off without taking a part the valve train id rather go that route.

If you just sit with it a bit (personally I smoke a bowl while I do this part ) and study how it all fits together and look at the manual it will reveal itself.
OR you can just go ahead and try to take it off with out removing the rockers... it won't hurt anything as long as your not using hammers or saws to remove a part

you will have to take the head off so the valve train will come apart. you can leave the push rods in the block it you are careful in taking the head off. you might as well make a holder, take them out, and keep in proper order, then remove head. the valves will have to be adjusted when you get back together anyway.
the only way i know off taking the head off without removing valve train is get a flathead! good luck!

got it. thanks.

This tech tip covers adjusting the valves. I followed it and it worked out good. http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/valveadjustment.htm

Is your engine on a bench or stand (I'm assuming it's out of the truck)?
You could just loosen the rocker assembly bolts and slip the push rods out... but as mentioned, label each push rod to insure it goes back to the same location.
You could lift the rocker assembly off and set it aside (I would do that to give me more working room on th engine). Bear in mind, it is two sections so when you remove it, keep it together while you find a place to set it till reassembly.
Likewise, if you have the side cover off and are rotating the engine around with the pushrods removed, I'd also remove the lifters and label them as well. They could fall out otherwise and you might not know which hole they came from.
When you're finished replacing the piston and are ready for reassembly, you put the lifters back in the right hole, push rods in the right spots and reinstall your rocker assembly.
In my mind, you shouldn't have to re-adjust the lifters again.
2 cents worth... good luck, buddy.
Jerry

How did you see a hole in the piston with the head still on? if you have the tall side covers, you will need to pull them off anyway. Because you ruin the gasket when you pull the head. You could almost take the head off without pulling the rocker arms, except (assuming you have an engine with the 15 bolt head, I don't know about the 18 bolt heads) except there is one bolt directly under the oil distributor, you might be able to get it out without taking the rockers off, I do know I couldn't get a socket on it to retorque the head with the rockers in place. Here again I don't know for sure which engine you have, but a 53 should have the engine that when you pull the head the pushrods will just fall over, as the holes they pass through are in the head. You won't get out of this situation easily I'm pretty sure, but unless there was some strange circumstance as to why there is a hole in ONE piston, this looks like a real good opportunity to do a thorough inspection of your engine, bearing clearances, measure the bore things like that.