Two things crammed into one thread

[Mesabooger]

1st thing:

I hardly come by here, but once in awhile just come to see how you are all are progressing.

I am heart broken. I have a 66 Fleetside that I have been slowly doing whatever I can. It has a modest Straight 6 250, which I love. I don't like to go fast, just cruise around and let everyone hear me chuggin along. Anyway, I had gotten a new valve cover for it and yep I broke two bolts off. Well, time to retap. I had done this several times as I used to be an aircraft mechanic.

My worst nightmare, I am drilling the new hole thinking the hole is too shallow and all of a sudden, some antifreeze seeps out of where I am drilling. I was pretty pissed at myself. I talked to a mechanic and he said I could just finish retapping it and put silicon or loctite to seal it. He said this should be of course temporal until I can get a new head.

Like most of you, I really do not have the cash to get a new head, and have it machined up. I had to buy a beater just to get me by as I need a car.

Thanks for listening, just venting to some fellas who would understand.

Here is a pic of my truck:



2nd thing

I was working in San Jose (I live in CO) during August. One day I left the office and went out for lunch and a walk. I saw a kick ass C10 and took a pic of it with my phone. The guys in it kinda looked at me funny but I didn't care.

Low and behold it was one of you. I don't have the pic anymore, but it was Chief rolling without his hood

Chief, it was on Market I believe, right by the Chicken Coop.

[rickf]

There's a saying I saw in somebody's sig here, really hits home for some of my projects: If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is.

You didn't mention why you were replacing the valve cover. I'm guessing there was nothign wrong with the old one, you just liked the new one more.

So we're talking broken valve cover bolt, right?

If I were in you're spot I'd loctite in a stud and use a nut to hold the cover. You certainly don't want to loctite in a valve cover bolt, that will just haunt you later.

As for temporary, if it doesn't leak I'd call it a permanent fix, until there was some other reason to pull the head.

[ChiefRocka]

What's up man !!!!

Thats cool you took the pic with your phone...too bad you didn't save it !!!

I don't remember looking at anyone funny ??


As far as the threads go......I would use JB weld to permanently secure a stud in the hole.

Drain some of the coolant out of the system (to lower the level) and blow out that hole to make sure it is clean and dry.

Mix up some JB, and insert some into the hole, apply some to the threads, and stuff that stud in there.

Let it cure over night, and your problem will be solved. Like RickF mentioned, it will be a permanent repair untill the head/engine needs serviceing.

Jb weld can be a life saver sometimes.....it does have it uses...however, it doesn't take the place of a welder.

[Mesabooger]

Thanks for the replies, Yeah I was only replacing it because the old one, while still doing its job, was all dented up and beat up. So it looks like I have a couple options. hmmm.....

ChirfRocka, it sounds like you have done this before. I take it JB weld adheres with no problems to cast iron?

You know I swore I had saved that pic, let me look around again. When I saw your truck, I was like "that's how I want mine to look right there"


And that saying, it sure does hit home

[Mesabooger]

I found it! Well, the second one, this one was more as I walked off...

[westbrookw]

That's cool. Always been a small world.

[Dadsredwagon]

on the jb , just make sure you get much of the anit freeze out, I tried it on some freeze plugs, but the mositure form not draining the blocked caused the jb weld not to harden good enough keep us posted how it works out..

[Iron-Butt]

chiefRocka it looks great.

[ChiefRocka]

Thanks man....

[Mesabooger]

update: the jb weld is curing. I am going to let it sit overnight. Wish me luck.

[krue]

Good luck.

[ChiefRocka]

Cool man..good luck !!!

Hopefully the hole was nice and dry.....(wait a minute, thats usually what we don't want...)

It'll work.

Later

[04Xrider]

Did you ever consider a pipe tape & plug? If you were to use a pipe plug with noting but thread seal, then you could retap it for your 1/4 bolt. Just another choice. Good luck.

[ChiefRocka]

Thats a good idea as well, however he might not have enough 'meat' at that location to do that.