Hey, just a little question for you guys. in the back of the heads there is that coolant corssover pipe. my thread got kind of crossthreaded, and the bolt goes in at an angle. anyone known a good way to fix this with the head on the car? i didn't realize the had was like that when i was assembling the motor, but when i was filling it up with coolant i found out the hard way.
i know the thread is 1/2" - 18, but i really doubt i could get a tap back there.

any ideas?

 

pull it back out and try to thread it in strait?

all i can tell you

 

What he said.... for some reason mine went in at an angle too the first time, but I was able to correct it completely w/o a screwed up thread. Dunno how.. but it did!

 

yeah, i ahve been trying that for a while now and been very unsuccesful. i just boyught like 6 o-rings, 4 washers, taps, whole deal and am going to attack if it doens't work after a few more attempts.

 

can't get nothing to work......

 

If you use a tap, put some grease in the valleys of the tap so any shavings will stick to it and not go into your head.

 

I would pull that head. Then drill out the hole and tap it then helicoil it to the proper size. The other fixes are just j rig jobs and arent close to the proper way to fix this. It may cost a little bit more but it will be worth it not to get any metal shavind in the water jackets and them a month later have to replace a water pump that went bad and then made the opti go bad.

The grease on the threads trick can work but all it takes is 1 shaving to get loose and ruin the water pump.

 

its tight back there. i think i am going to cut my tap down, and then cut down the t-handle so it can spin freely and put the grease in the valley. i got an electric water pump so at least only one thing will die, or i might just be able to pump that water out.

the other thing i was thinking was using plumbing. i wouold use a dual male 1/2" in, then a dual female 1/2" in the male, then put crossover on that, or use an elbow and bend the pipe. what do you guys think? ojnly thing i see wrong with that is that i am using brass. i have no idea how coolant reacts with brass.

oh, and if i perhaps decide to pull the head to do this could i reuse the gasket? keep in mind the car has never even been started, and the head has been torqued down for about 2 weeks.

 

No, you cannot reuse the head gasket if you remove the head. Once it's been compressed, it's done.

I wouldn't run a tap blind like that.

 

Pull the head and helicoil it and use the stock hardware like it should be. I cant stress enough that stuff like this should be done right the first time. Cutting the tap isnt a good idea as you will not have the "starter threads to help center the tap. Do it right the first time and it will save you $$$ in the future.

 

#2 I have learned that the hard way. better to take the time and spend a little money to do it right the first time, than to screw it up and spend even more money and more time doing what you should have done right the first time...

 

Now that someone has brought this topic up.... Why cant you just put a bolt in either head and remove the cross over tube? What is the tubes functionality?

 

I believe it's so you dont develop air bubbles in the heads and overheat.

 

yeah its for the bubbles. i was going to cut it in the back so i could use the starter threads on the tap. i am going to try it quick, if i am doing it for a prolonged period the head is coming right off. this is very annoying. i should have checked before it put the head on. arg.

 

i did it. i got one of the small screw on taps, cut down the handles very small. then i got the tap and cut it down to the end of the threads. then i put the tap handle around the end of the thread and cut it. got it on the second try.

figured i would add that i started my motor today! yay! i am so excited i had to tell. i added

longtubes, gm847, ported heads from agostino racing engines (the heads were used), ewp, walbro 255lph, 42lb svo injectors, double roller/vented opti conversion, pro mag 1.52 rockers, guideplates, a new maf, new radiator (for extra speed), poly motor mounts, hap qa1's, rear drag bags, spohn rod end adjustable lca's, tons of weight reduction, !air and !egr, new spark plugs (YAY!), autometer huge tach (ricer effect, and now i know what rpm my engine is really at, but it is going on tomorrow i just am excited right now), and madz28 tune.
all of this is coming from my old hotcam/stock heads/mid length headers set up. yes i do have a larger throttlebody for the car, but its been on it for a while, so i didn't write it above.

this thing sounds mean with open headers! i am going to try to get some mufflers tomorrow so i can rip it around, and redo the valve lash. thank you guys for your help! i am going to post pics of my tool soon too so those that have the same problem with heads that i have know what to do.