Hello everyone!
I'm trying to replace head gaskets on a 98 Blazer LT 4.3L 4x4.
It's not my 1st head gasket replacement but it is a 1st for the 4.3L Vortec V6. I'm down to the heads, exhaust manifolds are dis-connected. How do you get the outside 6 bolts out of the heads? Is there some kind of trick I'm missing? Although the exhaust manifolds are dis-connected there still in my way.
I've read plenty of threads on this topic but no says anything about having problems getting these 6 bolts out!
Is it possible that you have to remove the EM's from the engine bay? No one say's anything about doing this either.
Any suggestions will be appreciated!

 

No one here has any idea how to remove the lower head bolts without removing the exhaust manifolds from a Blazer???

 

u have to take the exhaust manifolds off anyway.

 

They are dis-connected! Do I have to remove them from the engine bay???

 

yea i would

 

There's gotta be another way. I really don't want to cut off the bolts that hold the donut gaskets together if I don't have to.
Any other suggestions???

Let me rephrase that! They are dis-connected from the head's but are still attached to the exhaust.

 

if they wont pull back far enough then ur gonna have to remove them.

 

Dis-connected the Y pipe at cadilac converter, need to remove exhaust tube from exhaust manifold to intake and I might be able to pull them back far enough to get to those 6 pesky head bolts.
It started raining on me so I guess I'll try again tomorrow.

 

Dam!!!.... got it!

 

Playing around during the re-build, gonna look good!