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.
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.
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.
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.
Oh God, Keith, I'm rolling around on the floor laughing.
Have a good one; Bogie
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