Why do I worry so much?

[gjmascoli]

Engine running fine, why should I worry.

Drilled out 10 out of 12 exhaust studs, by hand, no guide. They weren't all drilled a perfect perpendicular to the head, but the SSIs mounted fine and everything is back in the car.

Engine running fine.

But I am worried --- did I drill too deep into the head? Seems unlikly to me since the stud heights were good and it was really hard to drill anyways.I could always feel when the pilot hole popped through the bottom of the stud.

Did I install the new studs too deep? Also seems unlikely.

Should I worry? I guess why bother, I'm just going to drive the car, not gonna drop the engine and do anything.

Would there by any symptom of "head damaged"?

[gjmascoli]

LOts of view but no comments.....I guess I should stop worrying!

[Lapkritis]

Don't have to worry about water jackets... hard to say anything else without inspecting them. If you think they're fine and it runs well without evident problems then I say it's fine to drive.

[gjmascoli]

Again, drilling through the stud with an initial 2mm pilot hole took some serious effort. I would use a carbide bit on a Dremel to get the pilot started, then go to a carbide bit. It was always obvious when the pilot hole punched through the bottom of the stud. Then I had to increase drill bit diameter ever so slowly, like 1 mm at a time until I could retap the hole.

So there is no chance that I drilled so deep as to cause an oil leak (I assume that is what you mean by water jacket). The studs seemed tight in the head, so I guess I drive and see what happens

[Lapkritis]

There's no oil jackets in the head either. I think you're safe to run it.

[Dpmulvan]

I lose sleep every time I put a motor together or timing chains or whatever and it always comes out fine but I still worry.Maybe you and I should start drinking or something

[gjmascoli]

Thanks Dp, I needed that!

I really am a worrier. One time while doing a timing belt on a straight six I stupidly rotated the crank by hand while the belt was off.....until one piston hit a valve! So then I worried all day about whether that valve was bent......of course it wasnt and the engine still runs great.....but I sure did spend a lot of time worrying!

[Boatman]

Winston Churchill once quoted an old man lying on his deathbed " I wish I had not wasted so much of my life worrying about things that never happened".
I frequently have to remind myself about this same thing.
Don