Ok so I just got the engine (sb 350) back from being rebuilt (top half) and I told the builder to use some 882 heads he had laying around...they are the early model 882s and I got the engine back in the truck and while filling it with coolant it started leaking out of the second header bolt hole.......are these heads trash or did some header bolts go into the water passages?

thanks guys
Jeff

dont think any header bolts go into passages. Didnt you rebuild this once already???

no , that is not good.

you know, there is a water jacket in that area (where the temp gauge can hook up in the head) are you sure its not comign from there??

hey man, ya rebuilt it once before and the head cracked......just had new heads put on again and this happened.....not sure on the temp gauge thing it just pours out of the header bolt hole.....not even like if it was a crack and it drizzled out....just pours out.

this whole thing is extremely aggravating since this is my 3rd set of heads.

quit buying heads somone has laying around. this head probably broke a bolt off and they didnt have the right tap so it got drilled through.

Could also be the head gasket leaking and it running out the exhaust port. Turn the motor to close the valve and see if if it the anti-freeze stops running out. BTW, the 882's and the 773's (I think its the 773's anyways) are the same internal castings, just different outter. The 882 is the earlier head and is the "heavy cast" while the 773 is the 80's light cast design.

882 are actually some of the worst heads out there, considered best of the worst heads to lots of people they are very crack prone..

882 are actually some of the worst heads out there, considered best of the worst heads to lots of people they are very crack prone..

Funny, John Lingenfelter(sp?) said in his book John Lingenfelter on Modifing Small Block Chevys that he prefered the 882's for his streetable 400cid builds.

they were one of the first heads to have hardened seats, very crack prone, and the 2-3 exhaust ports bothe go to the intake crossover which is where you run into cracking problems. They do flow well, but are a crappy casting overall. lots of better casting out there