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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | While i was rebuilding my head i had to extract a stripped valve cover bolt that the previous owner just left in there. While i was extracting it i somehow drilled into the water/anti freeze port. I am worried that the pressure of the water flow when the engine is running will cause it to leak onto the top of the head and thus circulate through the eninge. any ideas?
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 841 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 841 | i sure woudn't put a bunch of money in that head before i found a new one. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | i all ready have to buy new valves at 70.00 dollars, a rebuilt head i can get for about 280.00 dollars.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 28 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 28 | If you already have to have valves installed. They will have to be ground/lapped to fit your seats in the head. You probabaly have a loose valve guide or two in the mix. If you add up the required machine work to do it right, you may already be at the 280.00 dollar cost of the reman. I would drop your old head off at a local machine shop and get a estimate on repair and weigh the cost between the two. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 |
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | Drill and tap the offending hole for a 3/8" bolt and plug the hole with a short 3/8" bolt installed with LocTite. Cut it off flush with the top of the head. Then center-drill the cutoff bolt and tap it for the correct 1/4"X20 valve cover bolt. Just don't drill all the way through the 3/8" plug with the tap drill. Problem solved!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | do these inliners have valve guides, because i sure dont have any on this head.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,002 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,002 | The valve guide is a bronze cylinder the valves run up and down in.
Another fix for the drilled thru hole depending on how much material is there would be to put a set screw in the bottom. Measure the length of the hole, You need enough length so the valve cover screw won't bottom against the set screw. The set screw should still have 1/4-5/16 of it's thread in the material. Then use some thread sealer on the set screw and run it down. This is essentially what you are going to have to do with the head bolts as they also go into the water jacket.
Larry
Last edited by LGriffin; 04/24/2010 4:07 PM.
I don't own a vehicle that isn't old enough to drink.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | how can you tell if the valve guides are bad, i am looking in the valve "guide" on the head and its just the hole for the valve to go up and down. there does not appear to be a sleve installed in side the hole.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | The valve guides in the Chevy head are cast in place, simply part of the cast iron of the head. Machine shops center up in the old guides, drill and ream them out, and install pressed-in replacements. If the head of the valve has a visible amount of wobble when it's pushed from side to side with the valve spring removed, the guide either needs to be sleeved with a thin bronze insert, or replaced. I used to do a lot of the ream & sleeve repairs, but recently, it's become more popular to replace the entire guide to repair a worn one.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | i do not have any play in the valves when i put them in the head, they seem to be very tight
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | That hole you drilled through, you could put a stud in it & seal it with locktight.
They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 461 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 461 | P.M. sent to ya  | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 841 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 841 | are you going to take the head to a machine shop? they can check the valve guides for a very small cost. they can loosen up a little if the head is cleaned too, but if they don't have much wiggle that's good. someone experienced (not me) can tell by feel if they need replaced usually. good luck. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | thanks, i think i am going to put it back together with new valves and be done with it. I rechecked the valves this morning and there is very little play if any, depending on your definition of play.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | Be sure the guides are clean. A surprising amount of varnish can accumulate in a guide, hiding looseness. I use a bronze rifle brush, carburetor cleaner, and a variable-speed drill motor, if the proper guide cleaning tools are not available.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | ok, i have the rifle brush and card cleaner i will start it now.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 28 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 28 | Not trying to be rude but I dont want to see you waste your money and time. If you do not have the new valves ground and matched to the seat then they will leak and burn up in a short time. Thats if they even seal at all. The seal between the valve and seat is a precision metal to metal seal with the sealing surface being a certain width so as the valve stays cool. You cannot take a valve out of the box, slap it in the head and expect a seal. Theres just a lot more to it then that. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 100 | no kidding buddy, thats why i plan to lap the new valves to the head. The problem is some of the old valves are to pitted to be machined.
It's better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it. "Woodrow F. Call"
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