oops..connected water to intake port when drilling for studs

talon · Post by **talon** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:07 am

Good Morning all

I had a little accident when drilling for screw-in studs on a 260 small block Ford head. I would like to save these little guys. Can I plug this little area down in the tapped hole with either some Moroso two part epoxy or make a little 3/8 dia slug of cold rolled and epoxy that down in the bottom. The heads are to used on a little mild street/strip motor.

Thanks gents

bill jones · Post by **bill jones** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:07 am

-Why are you worried about it?
-Production SBC heads have had the bottom of the studs in the water for years and I've never seen any problems that couldn't be fixed with common sealers or loctite.

shawn · Post by **shawn** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:15 pm

I think he drilled past the water into the intake port, so the water jacket is exposed to the intake runner. Is this right?If it is, and depending on how big the hole is, you can run a smaller bit down into the port and tap it for a pipe plug and stick one down in there. Just grind off the portion that leads into the port. I have also used cast iron "stitch" type plugs that you would use to fix a crack in a head.
Shawn

talon · Post by **talon** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:55 pm

that is exactly what I did ... connected the water to the intake port

. On those heads the intake stud is 'smack-dab' in the middle of the port and water jacket Does Goodson sell those plugs?

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to answer my question

Thanks
Jim

Fkned · Post by **Fkned** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 1:23 pm

Yeah as long as there is enough material to tap the hole I'd tap and plug it also.

bill jones · Post by **bill jones** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 1:55 pm

-what size hole do we have in there?
-I'd assume the hole is .368" or .375" so you can tap it for 7/16" 14 thread.
-I'd run the threads clear down and almost thru into the top of the port--meaning using a starting or a plug tap--stop with just about one thread from the end of the tapered end from going all the way thru, and then just loctite in a 7/16-14 set screw, screwed in from the top.

talon · Post by **talon** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:04 pm

The hole is drilled with a letter U drill ( .368) ....so I can just bottom tap it. That's a good idea...I can make a bottom tap from a plug tap. I think I know where to get a 7/16 set screw. If not I can use a friends lathe and cut some threads on a piece of stock

Thanks guys
Jim

bill jones · Post by **bill jones** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:33 pm

-If you happened to be installing 7/16" top threads---BBC applications you can find a set ot 8 intake studs that have extra long bottom threads that might be long enough to thread all the way down.
-How long would the bottom thread have to be on this Ford?
-How much room is there for setscrew threads in the roof of the intake port?
-Then how long is the bottom thread of the studs you intend to use?

talon · Post by **talon** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 10:36 am

Good Morning Bill

Thanks for your reply. I am eating the cost for all these parts and this work. These heads are for my sons friend. I am just trying to keep these kids busy, they are interested in this stuff and the best way to teach is for them to see and do and learn from mistakes

I am just putting in some inexpensive Pioneer sbc studs. The set screw will work. I bottomed tapped the hole this weekend. This will work.

Again thanks for your help gents
Jim