Remanufactured Head (ebay), Need you all experts advise Options

[msk59]

In the near future, I plan on redoing the valves etc on the head and came across some ebay sites that sells remanufactured heads. all work done with cams etc for under $300. Engine is 7A-FE and my car is 1996 Celica ST (AT-200) with manual transmission.

What is your experience with these heads and what advise you can give me that can help me decide.

Thank You
MSK

This post has been edited by msk59: Jun 13, 2014 - 8:09 AM

[msk59]

Langing: i spoke to a guy named David from Cylinders Head International. He explained what is done to the head is exactly what he described on their website. he also mentioned that he sells about 70 heads a day from his shop. I asked him if there is additional work requires and he said NOT usually, however, sometimes you do need to adjust the valves if there is a valve chatter.

In Shims under bucket valve system, it is rather difficult to adjust as you would need the exact shim to replace it with. Most sport bikes have that type of valves adjustment.

I think I am going to go with the aftermarket head in the next month or so.

[Langing]

Langing: i spoke to a guy named David from Cylinders Head International. He explained what is done to the head is exactly what he described on their website. he also mentioned that he sells about 70 heads a day from his shop. I asked him if there is additional work requires and he said NOT usually, however, sometimes you do need to adjust the valves if there is a valve chatter.

In Shims under bucket valve system, it is rather difficult to adjust as you would need the exact shim to replace it with. Most sport bikes have that type of valves adjustment.

I think I am going to go with the aftermarket head in the next month or so.

Thanks for the info. Going with a large rebuilder like that seems to me ought to be our best option, all things considered, and especially if we don't want to (or can't) waste a lot of time learning how to be an engine mechanic. Using a local shop, even a good one, judging from the comments, requires that you are fairly knowledgeable about a variety of things, else you can't validate their work. If that man ships out 70 rebuilt heads every day, that's a good indication that his organization is good at rebuilding heads, so your chances of getting a poorly rebuilt one should be low.

SpecialEdy was kind enough to spell out the ginormous amount of sophisticated technical work that is involved in rebuilding a head properly, and no matter how much you choose to take upon yourself, you would still have to use the services of a "trusted" machine shop. I have nothing against machine shops, or the people who own and/or operate them, and in fact believe it important to send work their way whenever you can to help them stay alive. However, when it comes to figuring out the best way to get your engine rebuilt, there is more to it than simply removing and replacing a cylinder head (block, intake, exhaust, etc), and simplifying the process (while achieving a higher probability of getting the job done correctly) seems wise. We need our cars out of service as short a time as possible.

I don't know about you, but each time I attempt something totally new, it takes me anywhere from 2X to 4X the time it should, like if I had been through the process at least once before. That reminds me of the video you posted of the time lapse engine overhaul (with the Christmas music). It made me want to learn how to do that, but scared me as well. There is a whole lot happening in that foreshortened video!

Here's another thought that perhaps you've had yourself. How about getting your car in shape the best and fastest way possible (I can hear your mom's pleasure rising and then falling). . . then, as you have time, search for your Celica's NEXT engine, the one you wished you had in her to begin with, the one that you can imagine would make her whisk through puberty, say from a junkyard or parts place, somewhere you could buy one cheap, and get yourself set up (in your mom's garage? ?) to take your time rebuilding that engine, one it wouldn't matter if you wasted because you would NOT potentially lose much money. If a secret desire to rebuild an engine from scratch was psychologically embedded in your current decision making, you could get it out of your system that way as time and money came available. It's just a thought.