302 head question..

[nodemon]

So, I bought a set of 302 heads for my 73 318 engine based on advice on the site... A mechanic buddy of mine just pointed out the 302's have air pump holes... What do people do about that..? Plug 'em..? Otherwise, there's going to be multiple exhaust leaks..

 

[64mopar]

Yes,plug them.
It is easy.
Drill and tap for set screws is one option.

 

[Syleng1]

Yes like above. I’ve seen over the years people try rivets, soft metal like lead or copper. JB Weld, nothing seems to hold up like machine set screws. The kind like you find in a pulley and shaft set up. Small too like #10 I believe. Also make sure you use a sealer on those set screws. Good luck.

 

[Treblig]

I would thread the hole for the set screws so that the threads don't go all the way through so that the set screw bottoms out on the last thread. This way (with some locktite) the set screw will lock up against something as opposed to just being screwed into a threaded hole. You'll have to remove the tap and check the set screw for the proper depth and just keep tapping deeper until the set screw is below flush and also bottoms out on the last thread. At least that's how I did it!!