How to Remove an S10 2200 Cylinder Head

Car repairs requiring the removal of the engines cylinder head can be quite costly. Depending on the particular repair needed, the majority of the charges will most likely be for labor. Dismantling the 2200 four-cylinder engine found in the Chevy S10 pickup truck can be a scary and intimidating task at first glance, but it is one that can be conquered with the proper instruction.

Instructions

Wear safety glasses to protect yourself from spraying fuel. Relieve the pressure from the fuel system using the fuel pressure relief valve on the fuel rail. Use a small flat-head screwdriver to depress the relief valve. Have a shop rag under the valve to catch the released fuel.

Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery. The negative battery cable is the black one.

Drain the engine coolant from the drain located at the bottom corner of the radiator. Engine coolant can be fatal if eaten by animals, so make sure any spills are cleaned up properly.

Remove the air duct from the air inlet on the throttle body using the appropriate socket.

Remove the upper and lower radiator hoses. Have a pan underneath the hoses to catch any coolant that my spill during the removal process. A flat-head screwdriver or socket can be used to loosen the hose clamps.

Remove the upper fan shroud, the radiator and the lower portion of the fan shroud.

Remove the fan from the front of the water pump with the appropriate socket and extension. Holding the fan blade makes removing the nuts from the water pump shaft much easier.

Relieve the tension on the serpentine belt with wrench or socket on the tensioner and remove the belt.

Remove the bolts holding on the water pump using the appropriate socket. The gasket may hold the water pump to the engine block. In this event, gently pry along the edges with a small pry bar. Hitting the pump with a hammer can damage it.

Loosen the hose clamp fastening the heater hose to the thermostat housing. Pull the hose off the housing and drain any coolant into the drip pan.

Remove the thermostat housing and thermostat from the intake manifold.

Disconnect the wiring for the alternator. Label the wires as you disconnect them to help during reassembly with masking tape. Remove the support brace for the alternator using the appropriate socket or wrench.

Remove the accessory bracket and move it to the side. Leave the A/C compressor and the power steering pump attached. Make sure that the lines for either are not disconnected.

Take off and label the throttle cable and support linkage.

Loosen the hose clamp and remove the heater hose from the water pump.

Unplug the electrical connection for the oxygen sensor and unbolt the exhaust pipe from the exhaust manifold. Use the appropriate socket and penetrating fluid to unbolt the exhaust pipe.

Remove the exhaust manifold bolts carefully. Penetrating fluid helps loosen rusted bolts, preventing them from snapping off. Take off the manifold.

Label and disconnect all vacuum hoses and electrical connections on the upper intake manifold. Move the hoses and wires out of the way to prevent any damage. Unbolt and remove the upper intake manifold using the appropriate socket.

Label and disconnect all the electrical connections on the lower intake manifold. Move the wires out of the way.

Label and remove the spark plug wires. Use the appropriate wrenches to disconnect all the fuel lines.

Unbolt and remove the lower intake manifold.

Take off the valve cover, and remove and label the rocker arms and pushrods using the appropriate sockets. If the rocker arms and pushrods are going to be reused, it is best to put each rocker arm assembly and the matching pushrod in its own labeled bag. This will ensure proper reassembly.

Remove the engine lift bracket attached to the rear of the engine.

Use the appropriate socket to unbolt and lift the cylinder head carefully off the engine block.