Cracked head: Removed whole top end but wtf?!?

[khemix]

I have a 1989 Nissan 240sx. SOHC. 197k. Well the car overheated and we believe it has a cracked head. We took the whole top end off (head, rockerarms, Eccs, etc.) but CANNOT get the head apart from the intake manifold! We removed all bolts but it still will not come apart? Can anyone help? (im not exactly a car-oriented person) Thanks guys!

Chris

[NISTECH]

did you remove the braket that holds the intake up on the side toward the strut tower?

[Pakaskas]

I just went through the same thing on my '89 240sx. After removing the head, replacing the gaskets, timing chain tensioner and guide and putting everything back together, I was still overheating, so I suspected a cracked block or intake manifold. I posted my problem here and Jellow_Jacket advised me to check the timing chain cover, so I pulled it back off and inspected it and found that the timing chain had worn a groove into the timing chain cover all the way through to the water pump port. I don't know how I missed it the first time I took it off. The reason the timing chain was able to do this, is because the timing chain guide was gone, completely disentegrated. So it allowed the timing chain to have enough slop to hit the nice soft aluminum cover. So make sure you check that and if turns out that is your problem and the guide is gone, replace it, or you will ruin your new front cover.