So I just pissed myself off a bit and need some help. I bought a 1999 LM7 from a salvage yard. When I got it home and began disassembling it I noticed 2 exhaust bolts were sheered off inside the head. I read that this was a common problem with the 1999 to 2000 heads and GM made the exhaust bolts bigger in 2001. I was using a drill-out to remove them by chance and of course the HARDENED freakin drill out snapped like I was using a damn tooth pick to pull the bolt out!

So here is where I am at:
Do I buy a used set of heads
Or
Spend $200 at a machine shop and have them drilled out and have the heads cleaned?

If I buy different heads, can I use any 2001 to 2004 LS heads. I heard something about the 1999-2000 heads also had some boss in the head that requires different head gaskets. So do I need to use the old style head?
And if I do get another set of heads which should I look for, I don't want to spend more than $200.

By the way the heads I have are the 862's

 

A machine shop will usually weld to the broken bolts and get them out that way. It helps if you don't mess with them or break a drill bit...I think you cost yourself more money trying to save yourself a few bucks.

 

Yeah, It cost me a broken Drill-Out tool. I called a local machine shop who said it didn't matter because it takes the same time to drill it out. He said he charges $80/hr for that kind of work. I just hate to pull the head and buy new gaskets and head bolts.

 

you can get some used 243/799 heads for $400 or less.