Head bolt hole broken - need opinions

[Turbo Archie]

I would surface those heads and run them.
Most older aluminum heads show corrosion also in the chamber/seats/ and valves..
pretty common...
..

 

[ShawnR]

Update: John took the block, crank & caps back and cut me some cash back on the heads. I kept heads, rockers, pistons & rods.

I'm done screwing with it for a while, but I'll probably weld up the heads myself before having them surfaced.

Weber charges for the "head work"
Degrease cylinder heads = $51
bead blast heads & valves = $70
Inspect = $83

I had the things clean enough to eat off of. They literally went through the dishwasher for a final cleaning, so the degreasing charge was BS.
Beadblasting for $70, had I known that, I would have done it myself (I do have a blasting cabinet and beads). They do look nicely done.

Inspect $83. I have no problem at all with that. Even just the sharpie marks and saying "that needs fixed". I'm okay paying for expertise.

Damn these little things are expensive.

 

[Turbo Archie]

What about disassembly charges?

 

[ShawnR]

What about disassembly charges?

I already had it apart to clean it and give it a basic inspection. They were painted black, so I removed valves and stripped paint to check for any obvious cracks. Valves & shims were all bagged and sent up with the heads. Stripping the paint was a pain in the A$$!

He did have to remove the valve seals.

 

[earlbrown]

bead blast heads & valves = $70

I'd be scared to run those heads now. If he used glass it's untelling how much is embedded in those heads waiting to enter your engine.



There's a couple things you don't do to internal engine parts, one is to use any kind of grit to clean internal engine parts.

 

[ShawnR]

I'd be scared to run those heads now. If he used glass it's untelling how much is embedded in those heads waiting to enter your engine.

There's a couple things you don't do to internal engine parts, one is to use any kind of grit to clean internal engine parts.

Dammit. I really didn't want to hear that.

 

[earlbrown]

You're probably be fine if he used soda or something soft like walnut shells. Glass is a big time no-no.


It would really suck monkey ass (and not in the good way) to lose an engine because you got overcharged for a visual inspection and an unnecessary 'cleaning'.

If it were me I'd wire brush the hell out of the spring area and Glyptal the shit out of it. (that's assuming Glyptal will stick to aluminum).

 

[ShawnR]

The invoice does say "Glassbead Cylinder Heads", so pretty sure it wasn't anything else.

I took a very close up picture of the corrosion and I think he has a point about it getting welded prior to surfacing. Would have to take off a lot of material to get it back to smooth.


The price list for what they were going to do (for anyone interested)
Not complaining about any of the prices, just sharing for informational purposes.

Lap valves= $66
weld head = $120
Cleanup & mill heads = $90
Wash heads for assembly=$39
Assemble = $91
Mill manifold side of head = $163

Parts were going to be $198 (springs, seals & keepers)

 

[Turbo Archie]

Don't worry about the glass beads....