M103: When removing cylinder head...
 

Do you recommend leaving intake/exhaust manifold attached to head when removing or unbolt both manifolds then remove head? '91 190e 2.6

i would unbolt
 

them.

tom w

just unbolt the intake and leave it in place so you don't have to disconnect everything, you will have to loosen the wire harness and sensors but leave everything you can attached to manifold, take pics just in case, unbolt the exhaust completly it makes it easier to get back on the head after.

just did a m104
 

i just did an m104 there are people who will tell you that you can leave everything on... and i suppose if you were a real expert ;you might be able to...

but from a guy who has done one... the only way i was able to do it was by removing everything....

secondly. if you removing the head you need to take it down to a machine shop and have it reworked... and if you dont remove everything the guy at the machineshop will had you a ratchet.... and say take that stuff off...
your waisting your time if you do not have the valve guides replaced, the head ground flat, and the valves reground.... anything less is a waist of time.. so since this is a requirement then you should go ahead and remove everything....

if you dont remove the intake then you must disconnect all the electrical and fuel... the electrical is very fragile and you will probably do more damage in
the long run by leaving the intake on....

mine was a 103 motor

When I did my M103 I left the exhaust and intake manifolds in the car. It was much easier , but I did use a rope hoist to support it as it weighs a bit and it's a long reach into the engine compartment.I went back in the archives and found this old post of mine :I just did my 103 head gasket last weekend and the only special tool needed was the headbolt socket , also a 17 mm hex for the inner part of the chaintensioner (the 17 mm didn't come with any set I could find for cheap ) . The shorter bolt will probably work , mine just kind of screwed itself out and I did damage the pin with vise grips trying to get the bolt out . I touched it up with a little emory cloth and it tapped in just fine. To lift the head I screwed a 2X8 across a couple of trusses in the ceiling of my garage and attached an eyebolt to it and rigged a 6-part rope pulley to it . Just to double-check the strength of my 'crane' I put my full weight on it and nothing happened ,it handled the 30-40 pound head no problem.To lift the head (without manifolds) I used the factory lifting eye at the rear and a front cover bolt in the lower lefthand bolthole , instead of a chain I used a 3/8" nylon rope (SWL 700 lbs)to take advantage of it's energy. After everything was unbolted the only thing keeping the head from coming straight up was the stud in the center of the intake , I put some tension on the crane until the sling was stretching,wiggled the head a little and it was free. I landed it on top of the fuel distributor and rad support (cushioned with a wad of rags to protect the valves) and then lifted it from there onto the bench.It went back on in the same manner , hooking the stud back into the intake with tension and then lowering it down the rest of the way. Piece of cake NOT !

How much does the head weigh, approx? I guess I'll detach the exhaust manifold completely, disconnect the intake manifold bolts, then remove the head straight out.

30 pounds or so, good luck.