Removing and replacing a cylinder head can be a simple or daunting task, depending on how you approach the situation. Aftermarket head studs and gaskets are a wise mod when building a high-performance engine, but reassembly can be difficult in cramped corners-like with our project Subaru EJ20, where threading head nuts onto its recessed studs is a major P.I.T.A. But our friends at Design Craft Fabrication in Santa Ana, CA, know a trick: Slide a nut and deep-well socket together over a Phillips screwdriver, then butt the screwdriver tip up against a stud, using it as a bridge to slide the nut onto the stud without it falling off into the engine. Another tip: hand-tighten each nut first, then gradually tighten each, in sequence, working from the head's center outward, before arriving at your final torque spec.
www.designcraftfab.com