"....which hold down bolt[s] is/are wet ? this is something i didn't know of........"

On the first gen HEMIs the upper (intake side) of the valve covers screw into the water jacket. Chrysler used studs for the valve covers so this wasn't a problem. I used bolts on mine because the studs would have had to be about 2" long because of the bosses in the aluminum valve covers..........meaning an extra 2" I'd have to raise the covers to get them off. The exhaust manifolds and interesting too. The lower bolts also go into the water jacket and as I recall the upper exhaust studs go into the head (where oil sits).


"........Could you have shimmed the motor mounts up a little? ......?

Not really enough room to raise the front of the engine. I did try shimming under the trans mount, but ran trans tunnel interference.


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