Update2:on coolant coming out of exhaust bolt hole.

[Heavyjp]

I went to drop the head off this morning. Owner wasn't there, but machine employee was. I explained my delimma and he thought he could fix it. He first told me that some of the head holes have coolant flowing and that most people just use high temp threadlocker and keep truckin. I looked at him like he was trying to sell me a LEMON! When I read the last post and someone said something similar, I couldn't believe it! I left and came back later.
The owner was in and I told him of my dilemma too. Well he knew part of it due to his shop causing part of my problem. I thought the other guy had did what he said cause my head was at the front door. I found out that the head hadn't moved at all! Why drop something off early in the morning if all they are gonna do is just let it sit.
The owner said that the only thing that he knows will fix it is to just pour liquid metal in the hole and let it set. Then when hardened line up the holes with the gasket and drill a new hole, then slap the stud back in.
It just may work and I think he said something about using nickel?

[turtlejoe]

My feeling is that if the shop screwed it up, they should replace the head. You brought in a perfectly good part and it left in less than "design correct" condition, and it's just not good enough for my money.

It may not happen (probably won't happen), but that's how I feel about that kind of thing. A repaired head may function just fine for many years, but I would always have that little bell in the back of my head (no pun intended) whenever something weird happens. If it has to be repaired because I screwed up, that's one thing. It's quite another when someone takes your money and gives you back a broken part ...

Best of luck and stick to your guns! ;)

[Elliott]

If they squawk at replacing the head have them magnaflux it to show you where it's cracked if they didn't over drill it.
Did you check how the hole depth compares to ones that aren't leaking?

[mdill]

Personally, I would not put the effort in to trying to save a questionable head.
I missed the part on why it is/was the machine shops fault, as I can't think of
how or why they would be messing around with exhaust mount bolt holes,
other than if you asked them to install inserts in them or something.

Mike D.