BALL PLUGS Ball plugs that can’t be accessed and knocked out are difficult to remove. I use my Heli- arc welder and heat the ball until it is red hot. Then I weld a filler rod to it. When cool, it is usually loose and can be pulled out. If the ball is staked in,...

SPARK PLUG TUBE-ECTOMY When removing spark plug tubes from heads like the Chrysler Magnum’s, it is important to not damage the tube if you want to reuse them and have a secure fit. These heads have usually been in service for a while and will have a rusty bond to the...

METAL CHIPS IN THE MEDIA To save money on media blasting, I use the metal chips generated from my boring bar and brake lathe as a blasting media. I installed a reducer in the feed line to generate the correct amount of air speed, then use the chips instead of glass...

SILICON AND GLASS BEADS DON’T MIX Many times you will have an aluminum head with some left over silicon gasket on the surface. Attempting to bead blast the silicon off will only result in a damaged cylinder head. The aluminum will continue to be worn away by the...

A Better Way to Clean Oil Galleries I’ve always used the standard long handled nylon bristle brushes dipped in solvent to scrub the oil galleries in blocks, heads and cranks before assembly. However, while cleaning a gun bore, it occurred to me that I didn’t really...