Hmmmmm....Tom, do suppose some misguided individual decided to reduce the diameter of the water holes to the head? In a similar vein that misguided ppl drilled holes in their dipper trays so they could 'drain out all the oil on an oil change' ?
Before I reassemble anything I'd get the dimensions from another block as to what is going on.
Measure the diameters and post them and then we can better advise you.
I sure wish Purdy were still posting