JD Inlet Housing Removal

[slamiste]

Does anyone have any tips on loosening the inlet housing nut on a JD? I have removed the set screw and have soaked the area of the inlet housing threads for a few days with Penetrating fluid. I don't have the special spanner wrench and since the nuts are already pretty badly buggered from previous pinch use (and since replacements are available) I tried loosening them with a punch. They didn't move and I was afraid to smack them too hard so I soaked them a few more days. Today I heated the area with a propane torch and tried the loosen them again but still no go. Again I hesitate to smack it too hard for fear of breaking the cylinders.

The set up I'm using:
1. I have the cylinder clamped into a vise holding the mounting flange between hard wood lined vise jaws.
2. I'm assuming the nut is right hand thread.
3. I'm assuming there is only one set screw per cylinder.

Any ideas?

[Rod K]

The housings on my J cylinders were so messed up I couldn't even use the wrench. I soaked them with Strong Arm Spray. I have had good luck with this stuff. He advertises in the AMCA mag. Try soaking them from the inside as well as the outside.

Get a helper and use two punches, just opposite each other. Start out with light raps and then increase in intensity.Two punches seem to move those threaded rings more easily.
If it does'nt move try heat.if it does'nt move soak it some more....Best of luck Rod

[rwm]

that's nothing wait till you try to get that dam pocket valve out

[DanM]

A bead of weld on the inside of the nut will shrink it. Maybe a few short beads will do it. I used Kroil on mine. And it was very hard to remove- After the nut, I ended up with a slide hammer secured to the intake valve to budge it. Soak it and soak it with the Kroil. Time and patience will pay off.

The other way to get the housing out is to use the exhaust valve as a drift, but I'd say be careful not to crack something............

[Tommo]

Make sure all your hammering is towards the strongest and most supported part of the cylinder. I have seen numerous cylinders with the sides broken out due to over vigourous hammering in this area.
Vinegar will work wonders and I have freed many cast iron pistons this way as well. Turn the cylinder upside down in a bucket of vinegar and leave it soaking for a few days.

[slamiste]

update

I'm still soaking the nut with penetrating fluid and still having no luck even with two opposite drift hits. Part of the problem is I'm afraid to hit too hard and break the cylinder as discribed in one of the replies. I'll try the weld bead and vineger in the next few days and report any progress.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[rwm]

here is how i tried to get the valve pocket out with a home made slide hammar



it didn't work. i had to smack the exaust valve up into the pocket.that worked. pocket valve came out on the 3rd hit

[Tommo]

I see you're still having trouble getting the inlet cage nuts free.
I didn't post this solution as it involves quite a bit of frabrication but it may be your only answer.
I have made a fixture that locates into the bed of my press and to this I bolt the cylinder.
The cylinder is located in the fixture so the inlet cage is directly below the press ram.
I have made a tube socket with 4 keys to pick up the 4 slots in the inlet cage nut and this is put over the inlet cage and kept in place with the press ram.
The tube socket has holes through which a bar can pass so you can turn it and in this way you can exert quite substantial force without doing any damage.
Just remember "gently, gently catchee monkey" so as the nut undoes so you release a bit of pressure on the ram.
Hope this helps.

[slamiste]

Success

Today I was successful in removing the inlet housing nuts on both cylinders. I used a number of the suggestions I received on this thread. For the record I'll document what worked for me.
1. I continued to spray liquid wrench on the top of the nuts for a number of weeks.
2. Today I tried to remove the nuts with a hammer and punch but no luck.
3. I called my son and asked him to bring the wire welder over. He welded a bead around the inside of the nuts as suggested in this thread.
4. After welding, I tried removing the nuts myself with a hammer and punch but again they wouldn't move.
4. We then tag teamed the nut (as suggested in this thread) by sticking with punch and hammer simutaniously 180 degrees from each other.
5. The nuts came loose after a few healthy hits.

YEAH! Thanks again to everyone who submitted suggestions!