Long story short, I do not have the tools nor know-how to install valves and springs. I had someone else do this.

However, in my absentmindedness I forgot to install the oil galley plug before having the head assembled.

Can I tap the block for the plug now that it is all assembled? This is on a b18c1

Thank you

 

No

 

I didn't think so...Man, that's a bummer.

 

Well, some "other" individuals are saying it can be done. It's risky, as shavings could be left behind...Hrmm...

 

First, what exactly are you calling the oil gallery plug so everyone is on the same page? You say B20V in title but B18C1 in thread. Which is it?

 

B20b with a b18c1 head.


The blue plug on this pic, ita 1/8" for reference.

 

Same hole ya'll were thinkin of?

Probably would have been wise to just post a picture in the first place.

 

You must take the head off and plug it or you will have a massive oil leak there. When you pull the head off you will see the oil supply passage makes a 90* turn inside. No way to do it with the head on.

 

Hehe, the head is off. That's not the issue, I just don't want to disassemble the head (springs, valves etc)

I'm looking into getting it welded shut, however, I'd like to not have it machined afterwards.

 

Oh, when you said "before head was assembled" I automatically assumed it was installed. My bad. It can be done assembled but it isn't preferred. Put some grease in the hole and on the tap. Use a vacuum after you are done and a rag in the hole as best you can. After that use some brake cleaner. Welding is another option but most people don't want to deck their head if they don't have to.

 

Yea, I'm going to bring it in Tuesday and hopefully they feel confident enough to weld it without it needed to be decked afterwards.

 

It's not really an option. Unless you are fine with them sanding it down (preferably over grinding anyways) and using some type of sealant that will most likely fail anyways? No matter how good the welder is its almost impossible to not have some sort of decking issue after welding the hole shut and isn't worth the risk anyways. It can be checked with a straight edge of course and make your decision from there.

 

This is the proper way to do it. No need to disassemble the head.

 

I got the head back after having it welded.




It does have a little bit of a rise to it, so I'll try to work it down a little. I'd like to not have to deck it as my P2V clearance is already so tight.

 

Don't really agree with welding it. Now you have to trace out and drill if you want to use it again on a vtec block. That head looks like it could use a resurface anyway.

 

I hear you on the reusing it part. It could however just be drilled out down the line if someone wanted to mate it with a VTEC block.

I was between a rock and a hard place, this DD project had been sitting for far too long and I need results, ha. I was having a hell of a time tapping it.

 

you kind of went over-board with welding it. u could have simply tapped the hole and put a plug in place with the head already assembled.

 

Read up man, I had a really hard time tapping that ****.

 

Seriously though....I'd have that puppy resurfaced...

 

It's aluminum... how hard could it be?? Did you use grease on the tap?

 

I did. And I've tapped aluminum before. This was just a ****-show.

 

Went ahead and had it resurfaced. The shop found 2 exhaust valves that weren't sealing fully, so they took care of that as well.

Big shout-out to RJT Machine in Lawrence, Ma. They dropped everything they were doing and took care of me. I was a first-time customer there, and I made the 1.5 hour trek to their door and they definitely hooked it up.

Shiny pics:

 

Good decision, but damn that's a lot of porosity... Did they TIG weld it? I am assuming not...

 

Yea, it was supposedly TIG'd. I was curious about the bubbles as well.

Edit: the welding was done by a local guy, not the shop.

 

I'd definitely use copper spray to fill any of those imperfections and seal it up tight.