lovehamer Steve you broke to basic rules of assembling any motor. First you didnot take a good look at the new parts you got.( no tapped hole in the head) Next you didn't run a tap into every hole in the heads, block, intake, water pump,crankshaft, and timing cover if needed. You would have caught the missing hole if you checked the hole for clean threads. Worst of all, You like screwing every hole DRY?
You know that steel and aluminum oxidizes and corriodes in the holes without a sealer or antiseize on the threads. Go to ARP and see if they have allen head long screws. Its a shame that you paided big bucks for those valve cover and they have cheap bolts. Rick L. Ps if you cover the area, you can drill and tap the head on the block. Get some one to use a shop-vac to collect the chips, drill slow, put a piece of tape on the drill drills to get the right depth. Drill in 3 sizes.
Oil the tap and tap straight. Clean real good when done. Biggest thing is take your time. Your OK.
Pss try a little lube next time, it will not hurt this much.
Use the valve cover to center the hole for the bolt. Use a center punch or use the old bolt you have with just grinding the threaded end to a tip that will center in the hole of the valve cover.
