Thread: where to get heads reconditioned?

What do they do for that money?

I had them both done on my P38A at Bob Rea in Kingswood and it didn't cost that much. I might have got trade price though.

Ron

If you're doing all the valves yourself & you just want them skimmed then just find a decent machine shop.

If prices in Oz are anything like the UK then it should be closer to $300 for the pair.

HTH

Mark.

2 heads for $240 cash as they do not usually deal with public, including 50 thou shave and milling inlet guides for teflon seals and shortening guides.

Warringah Clutch Service
5 Mitchell Rd Brookvale
9939 7085
contact Jim.

thanks for the info.

Phillip A. can you tell me more?

why shorten the guides, and are teflon seals standard seals?

is there a benefit?

thanks

So you can fit proper valve stem seals so they don't use oil. I'm not to keen on this frankly, I don't care if an engine pulls a bit down the guides. Would be ok if they fit some K-line inserts as these are pretty much self lubricating.

The guide work was part of my head modifications. I did about 30 hours on the valve bowls and ports to clean them up. The exhaust ports are very poor on the older 3.9 castings, as it seems the casting cores were worn out.
Anyway, after I did all the work I sent them in for the heads to be recoed.
At my request they shortened the inlet guides in the ports to give better air flow as the guides are the major stopper of inlet flow.

Because I wanted to use Mobil 1 and I was nervious about oil consumption I had them also step the top of the guides and fit teflon seals. These are positive seals from later models that replace the almost useless umbrella seals that earlier engines have . I did not fit seals to the exhaust guides as there is no vacuum on the exhaust guides.

I have now done about 3000 K since fitting the heads and have used about 1/8 on the dipstick so some oil is getting through. With new 4.6 heads I had NO consumption in 5000K with Mobil1.
Anyway Warringah Clutch, bead blasted the heads, recut the valve seats, checked the guides ( perfect so no K lining required), machined the guides, milled 50 thou from the heads, all for $240.
I dunno whether they just liked me or that is the usual price but top blokes .
By the way ,the mods were worth about 7% through the rev range. I was a bit disappointed considering the work done, AND yes I did do it well , and according to flow theory. So decide for yourself whether you think it is worthwhile. If you were paying someone , a Unichip would be far better value.
By the By the way, The best way to clean the rocker covers , other than the dishwasher would be to get them bead blasted IMHO.
Regards Philip A

Phil they will always pull oil down the exhausts when you don't have seals. Theory as you said is there is no vac and it is under pressure really in not true, by the way Jaguar did the same with the XK engines no exhaust seals . Fact is the exhaust is not always under pressure except when it has just fired and there is then a scavenging effect to some degree created by the exhaust as gas rushs out of the other cylinders. So some does find it's way down.

All of a sudden I keep getting invalid session and have to start again . anyone know why???

Reason no exhaust seal is that I have the old guides and was nervous about lubrication, particularly since later heads with teflon seals have a bigger coking and valve sticking problem than earlier heads. My 3.9 heads had minor coking on 2 exhaust valves at 105K.

The theory is Mobil1 and lots of oil =less coking.
Agree some oil gets down but nothing like the inlet and that seems to be the result as my oil consumption is up from the 4.6 heads but not half of the 3.9s with umbrella seals.
Regards Philip A