The union nuts that connect my SAI pipe to the cylinder head are frozen solid. I was going to try and just remove the head with the SAI pipe still on, but the head bolts are pretty frozen too so it’s just not an option. Any one have any suggestions?

I read other forums and tried the suggested penetrating oil, rapping it with a hammer to break it loose, and crow wrench— all have all proved futile. There’s just not enough room for me to get a good grip on the block nut to hold it in place to try while I try to spin the union nut free. The one I did manage to move at all, broke free at the head so the bolt head, union nut, and pipe are all turning together and starting to kink the pipe. Help!

 

Those are tricky. You have the right approach, you have to hold the SAI adapter in the head with one wrench and spin the union nut with another. In that there's practically no room to get tools in there it can be frustrating. Yes, penetrating oil and maybe some heat.

 

So, my friend happened to be dropping off my lawn mower, and it took more penetrating oil, his 200+ lbs of personal trainer muscle, and me (obviously me being about a quarter of that power), and over an hour of try and try again, but we finally got ‘em off!!!

Now, the lower head bolts are frozen solid. Breaker bar and bolt extractors aren’t cutting it. Any suggestions there?

 

Ah man, those are a nightmare. I spent 2 days on a simple plugs-and-wires job because of those damn pipes. Ended up destroying them getting them off and deleting the SAI, because I'm not dealing with those bastards again.

What do you mean by "lower" head bolts?

 

I broke 3 sockets on the lower bolts. Each time I thought it finally “popped” it was the socket cracking. I ended up using an impact socket and a breaker bar with a pipe slid over the end for extra torque.

 

I have to use the handle of a floor jack over a 1/2 breaker bar with a compact socket to get mine off.

 

Similar to Ken, I use a 3ft bar.

 

Go with Ahab's routine. exactly what I did. The crack sound is scary, like God snapping his fingers first time you do this.

 

And of course, only crack each of the other bolts and don't move them any further until you get them all cracked. Once you get a crack out of each one, then start to loosen them in a crossover pattern.

 

Have you tried and induction heater