Unhinging cylinder heads from coolant back passage on V6

I am down to the very last step of removing my cylinder heads and stuck. I removed the exhaust manifold, head bolts (had to buy a special 10 mm double hex driver and did it in the reverse order Hanes manual suggests to install them) and the heads are loose (can be detached from the block by maybe 1/4") but the coolant back passage is still hinged on the two threaded studs that are integrated into the head. I did remove the nuts (they were pure hell to reach) that were holding the passage onto the studs but I think there is a gasket between the passage and the head that is stuck (as I had overheating issues, which could have melted it) and I was trying to just slide the head off the passage (as the two studs are, I THINK, the only remaining fasteners that attach the head) but it was too stuck.

I tried using a flathead screwdriver to pry a gap between the passage and the head without success. They almost seem welded together. I also tried wobbling the head off the passage but also no success.

Is it possible that somehow this passage octopus looking thing needs to come off before the heads ? I can't seem to see a way to do it before first taking the heads off because it is located in the most inconvenient place to reach -- the back of the middle of the engine bay. I am a rather large guy (6'2") and still need to climb a little stool to reach that area. Is it possible that there are still bolts holding the head onto either the passage or the block (doesn't seem likely because when I wobble it, it appears as though it pivots around the passage entry).

The arrow in the picture shows the stuck joint.

 

It's an o-ring and can be a pain to separate.

You have to put some force behind it. We usually use small prybars and work it off.

 

Just like I thought. Or feared, to be specific. Thanks.

Do you slide the head off the passage while it is still on or do you have to take the passage off first ?

 

You get this off?

 

Oh, I see now. I did remove the 4 nuts but I didn't see the two bolts because they are so damn tucked away. So that is actually what is still holding my heads and why they won't come off.

 

I was thinking about another part in reference to the o-ring.

Sounds like you're close to getting those heads off.

 

Dude, is there a trick to reaching those bolts ? They are like in a virgin's G spot...

 

lol, trick? Not really. Just whatever combination of socket/extension/ratchet that works.