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Pinning studs in Vortec heads

7K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  BogiesAnnex1 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone,

you've been such great help here and my SBC is coming along nicely. I just finished the gasket match & bowl hog and before I dress the seats and install new valves to get the valve train together I'd like to adress the press in studs.

Can anyone here show me how you pinned your studs on your vortec heads? I have an alignment/guide tool that slips over the stud and has a pilot hole for the drill bit... but no matter how I line up the guide I am below the valve cover lip and can't get a straight shot with a drill. I am afraid of going to high on the stud boss and cracking it... any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If I need to pull the studs and tap for screw in, so be it... but in the name of saving time & money I'd prefer to pin the existing studs.

Cheers ~Mykk
 
#3 ·
04SilveradoMykk said:
LT4 Hot Cam
1.6 rollers
Comp Beehive 26918 springs

... too much for press in's?
The LT4 uses screw in studs, I think that provides the answer. The cheap SOBs at GM wouldn't do that if they weren't feeling a bit wormy in their underwear.

While I appreciate what Fbird88 has to say on this, I'll just comment that if per chance one of these lets go, the fix will be worse on the old Visa card than if you went the Full Monte up front.

Oh, oh the reason you tool doesn't work on the Vortecs is that the cover rail is raised vis-a-vis the old heads, so you can't get a straight shot. Actually, if you just gotta do this, pining at an angle shouldn't have any significant negative effect on the anything. Actually might even help because the angle drilling is going to expose more bearing surface.

Bogie
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies. I do see the LT4 heads have screw in studs... and the LT1 heads are press in. Alot of LT1 guys use the LT4 hot cam & 1.6ers. I wonder what they do. Regardless, I should do something. The Comp beehives add alot of seat pressure and even more at full lift.
 
#6 ·
04SilveradoMykk said:
Thanks for the replies. I do see the LT4 heads have screw in studs... and the LT1 heads are press in. Alot of LT1 guys use the LT4 hot cam & 1.6ers. I wonder what they do. Regardless, I should do something. The Comp beehives add alot of seat pressure and even more at full lift.

When I think LT1 or 4 heads I think aluminum, but they did come in cast iron versions, at least I know the the LT1 did. I could see a press in stud with an iron head, but that would never last with aluminum. I've not seen an aluminum LT1 or 4 head that didn't have screw in studs. Cast iron I can't say, It may sound strange but I've never seen the cast iron headed version of this engine apart.

I know the LT1 and LT4 screw in studs are different the the LT 4 being beefier 7/16s on both sides of the hex where LT1s are 3/8s (10MM) above the hex.

Bogie
 
#7 ·
I appreciate all of the feed back and input.

I apologize for the cell phone pics, I had forgot my camera today

I pinned all 16 studs today, than washed, repainted and assembled the heads.









Everthing roatates smooth, no PTC issues or coil bind. The retainers also clear the valve seals... so all is well, so far



Cheers ~Mykk
 
#8 ·
heads

Dude, you do realize that there is a automotive machine shop in the back ground of those pictures??? Is that yours???

The machine to do the work is sitting right there...can't cost that much if you own the equipment.


Keith
 
#9 ·
k-star said:
Dude, you do realize that there is a automotive machine shop in the back ground of those pictures??? Is that yours???

The machine to do the work is sitting right there...can't cost that much if you own the equipment.


Keith
Ya.. thats the shop I work at. Actually, it's an auto parts store that has a machine shop. This is where I have been building my engine.
 
#11 ·
machine shop tom said:
You sure you didn't take those pics in MY shop? That Jeep head looks like the one I just finished the other day.
:D

tom
Yea, I'm pretty sure... :drunk: Although stranger things have happened, but it is a jeep head. And what jeep head hasn't been at the machine shop.

Plus, Michigan is quite a bit of a ways from Prescott Arizona.
 
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