Solex U20 intake stuck - can’t remove it from head

[19692000survivor]

Problem removing my Solex intake and carbs from a U20. I removed the top intake bolts - no problem until I tried to get to the bottom bolts access is pretty tight. Decided to unbolt the header hoping to help and got the front. Removed the front wheel and starter to get the back. I expected to rubber hammer lightly and pry once loose but it’s not budging. Soaked the top studs with PB Blaster tonight and try again tomorrow. Any secrets or pry points that someone knows of? Every point looks pretty flush with out obvious pry point for removal. Solvent or tricks? I just don’t want to damage anything. Thanks Rick

[Nissanman]

TIME and LUBRICANT and a GENTLE leverage should do the trick.
There is a gasket between the manifold and the head and it will part company under GENTLE pressure.

[2mAn]

Are you sure you got all of the nuts from the blind area?

[jrusso07]

There are 14 nuts securing the intake and exhaust manifolds - both manifolds are on the same manifold gasket.

Rust can form on the head studs.

You can break the webbing on the manifold gasket with gentle tapping of th mnifold toward the block with the rubber mallet. The broken webbing will allow the gasket to separate with part stuck to block and part stuck to manifold

additional thought is corrosion at the coolant ports might be holding it tight. You can remove water tube and have a look at passage cleanliness.

[Gregs672000]

Remove the carbs first if you have not.

[19692000survivor]

I have removed all the nuts the 2 on the outer side front and back were the hard ones to get to. That allowed the header to slide forward but not out of the car due to the length of the studs into the head so if all the nuts are off releasing the header and the top 4 nuts are off the intake it should only be contacted to the head by corrosion in the intake ports the studs and the gasket intself - right? I have tapped it with a rubber mallet but it is really stuck as if I haven’t removed any bolts. I left the carbs on if all is unbolted what benefit would carb removal give me? Thanks for any help I did split the gasket on the exhaust ports and PB Blasted all the studs again.

[jrusso07]

Recommend removing carbs as Greg said. Get them out of the way and protect them from damage. Nissan manual wants carbs off before manifold. It will give you more room to move around and see. And a lot lighter to handle.

[19692000survivor]

I finally got it off with a lot of PB Blaster and a couple of days soaking. The top 4 studs were what was holding it due to rust. Thanks for all the suggestions. Rick