Is the Machine Shop screwing me?

[socalfiver]

I took the '86 casting 633 head to the machine shop to get it ready for installation.

Pressure test was $35, and came back good. Valves are tight, no cracks in the casting.

BUT, they tell me, "a water jacket has corroded and needs to be ground out and welded back in". Of course, heating up the head to grind it out and weld it means that a full valve job will need to be done afterward. they want over $400 total. Does that seem high to anyone but me? Has anyone else had this done before, grinding out and rewelding a water jacket?

I'm a broke bloke with no job, so I opted for hot tanking, new valve seals and a resurfacing.

[grumpsjr]

$400 sounds about right for a head redo in SoCal these days, though I'll admit I also have never heard of redoing a water jacket in such a manner.

Brian

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 2:37 PM, socalfiver <stylefreak9999@gmail.com (stylefreak9999@gmail.com)> wrote:

I took the '86 casting 633 head to the machine shop to get it ready for installation.

Pressure test was $35, and came back good. Valves are tight, no cracks in the casting.

BUT, they tell me, "a water jacket has corroded and needs to be ground out and welded back in". Of course, heating up the head to grind it out and weld it means that a full valve job will need to be done afterward. they want over $400 total. Does that seem high to anyone but me? Has anyone else had this done before, grinding out and rewelding a water jacket?

I'm a broke bloke with no job, so I opted for hot tanking, new valve seals and a resurfacing.



Get it while you can. -Janis Joplin


1980 528i Automatic, "Frau Blucher"

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[socalfiver]

I had a 4cyl head redone 2 years ago for $220, and that included 10 heli-coils.

I feel like they're trying to upsell me on extra labor.

[Lenny D.]

Remember: YGWYPF

You Get What You Pay For

(I made it up!)

[GripGreg]

Is it an actual jacket, or a chamber? Huumm?? I think I would take a real good look at the hole before they re-do anything. Ok, back under my small shadetree,,,,Greg

[DMS]

"a water jacket has corroded and needs to be ground out and welded back in".

It's bullshit. Take it to another machine shop to really make sure it's leak tight. It sounds to me they had a miscommunication internally and it's actually cracked and with this story they try to cover the false info some internship guy told you accidentally. Waterjackets in an alu head don't corrode that much.

Otherwise let them pinpoint the failure and snap a few pics. Then post the pictures here.

[John in Simi Valley]

Interesting.
My 633 blew a head gasket last week. (Motor is actually an '85 3.5L)
Had it pressure checked (it was GOOD), and resurfaced.
Will pick it up today. $90 bucks for the service.

If your cylinder head is indeed bad,
One option is to visit Jack Darwichian in Van Nuys.
He's got loads of stuff from E24s including a couple M30b34 heads.
He's got a couple M90s too, (one early L-Jet version, other is Motronic).

Anyway, he can sell you a head for WAY LESS than $400.
Check his eBay site, he has sold perfectly good heads for as little as $9.99 - REALLY.
If no one else bids, it's yours.
If it doesn't work return it for another.

contact him at lvcurves0190@hotmail.com

[RonDwyer]

Hmm, going inside to weld a water jacket sounds like doublespeak unless he's got nanobots to do it without cutting the head in half. I'd ask for a detailed description of just what he's trying to sell you, in person and pointing to just what the job involves.

[socalfiver]

As I suspected, they were just trying to screw me.

When I went to the shop to take the front cover in (i neglected to take the timing cover from the boneyard head), they again tried to get me to spend $265 on a valve job.

The guy was confused and tried to tell me that my valve guides were bad. He had forgotten his water jacket story and thought that he had told me "bad valve guides" during our phone conversation. When I reminded him that he had cited a bad water jacket as the reason I needed a valve job, and not valve guides, he told me I was mistaken. He hadn't mentioned valve guides at all.

I know none of you are near me, but steer clear of Modern Engine.

I got it pressure tested, hot tanked, resurfaced and new valve seals. $230 total. I've had complete rebuilds with valve grinding for less.

[socalfiver]

I picked the head up from the shop. Very minor corrosion around water jacket holes. Not in danger zones, no more than 2mm at the widest spots.

Head went on just fine. No more puffs of smoke from the tailpipe when I start it up.

I have located a different machine/engine shop, which I will use next time. While the car runs great, I felt like the guys were shady.

[Mike W.]

A good machine shop is hard to find, I've been unhappy with most I've dealt with. Once you find a good one, stick with them. Even if they're a little high, it's cheaper than doing it again or the results of lousy work.