3.4L with leaking lower intake manifold. didn't have the tool to compress the valves without take off the rockers, so took off the rockers. on of the bolts pulled a previously repaired threads (repaired with a time sert). with that said, i replaced the head (rear head). upon going back together, i didn't realize that the parts store gave me the 487 head with 10mm rocker bolts and not the 8 mm rocker bolts like i asked for. anyhow, i'm stuck where i'm right now, unless i want to take the head back off. i don't. what i want is to install the rockers anyway, either with a stepped stud, or (if it can clear) a m10 bolt.

here's my main problem, i'd love to have stepped studs first. but i can't find any studs that are m10 on one end and m8 on the other and is approx 72mm long. now, i'm ok with using regular m10 bolts, but are the rockers different on the engines with m10 holes? if not, i can just go to the junk yard and get bolts. and if they are different, i guess if they're not too different, i can still go to the junkyard and get the whole rocker assembly.

i'm a diesel mechanic, not gas. need some experience here so i don't have to take off the head again. any help will be appreciated!

 

nobody? this can't be that intimidating

 

The best solution is to take the head back, and demand new gaskets, sux I know, but you'd be more into correcting it.

 

You can get a machine shop to make the rocker studs with m10 on one side and m8 on the other. Not that big of deal.

 

He will still have to remove the head, so?

 

no, i wouldn't have to remove the head to install studs.

i thought about a machine shop but i figured that would cost more than its worth. :/
i may have to look into it.

 

It shouldn't cost too much. Not difficult to do and not that time consuming. How much time and work would you lose pulling the head? Which is the least desirable alternative?