Head Work Questions.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 536
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Head Work Questions.
So, I was on my way home a little while ago, and I decided to swing by the local performance machine shop and get a quote for some head work. For a full port and polish, re-surfacing, 5 angle race valve job, bowl clean up, screw in rocker stud conversion, springs, lifters, and new guides (if needed) they quoted me $500-$600. If the guides were good, then it'd only cost me $400-$500, and since I live locally, the guy said that he'd be able to tear down the head right in front of me and go through it with me. Now, I've read quite a bit about doing this kind of work, but I don't really have a clue what a fair price for all of this would be. Does $400-$600 sound fair to you guys?
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Boise, Idaho
Sounds about right. I just pulled the head off my '81 a month or so ago and the guy was going to charge me roughly $450 or so to clean it up, install new valve seats, guides, valves, springs, valve job, screw in rocker studs, etc. It was going to be a bit more to have a P&P done.
Was talking with another shop owner about some other stuff and he asked what the other guy quoted me on it, and after thinking through the prices, he said he'd charge about the same.
Was talking with another shop owner about some other stuff and he asked what the other guy quoted me on it, and after thinking through the prices, he said he'd charge about the same.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 536
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Okay, cool. Yeah, I'm thinking I'm going to go to the yard, grab a head and drop it off so that I don't take the truck off-line while the head's being done. And then after the head's done, I'll get the carb, intake and headers/efi manifolds (still haven't decided which I want to put on) and then when I get everything ready to go, I'll swap the head, and install the intake, carb and headers all at one time. And then get my cam at some point on down the road.
Thanks, man!
Thanks, man!
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,986
Likes: 104
From: Boise, Idaho
Be sure to have that head from the yard magnafluxed to check for cracks before anything.
That sounds like a smooth plan. I've thought about grabbing a JY head to do my head work on. I think the local yard only wants $30 for one.
That sounds like a smooth plan. I've thought about grabbing a JY head to do my head work on. I think the local yard only wants $30 for one.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 536
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Yeah, my local JY wants $33.18 with a $5.15 core charge. So, $38 and change. Not too shabby.
And I forgot to mention that the guy at the shop included magnafluxing the head in the price.
And I forgot to mention that the guy at the shop included magnafluxing the head in the price.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 536
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
Well, my engine (and entire truck, for that matter) was entirely rebuilt back in like '96-'97, so I can't imagine that my head would be in that bad of shape. But I guess I'll never know until I pull it off and look at it. Haha. The up-side? When the head comes off, a new one will be going back on, so it won't make a difference if it's shot. I'm just hoping the one that I pull at the junk yard is in good shape. Thankfully, there are quite a few 300's in that yard to choose from, so if I find one that I don't like, I can just go pull another one. Haha
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FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
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From: In my own world
just keep in mind, there is no such thing as a 5 angle valve job. it's a 3 angle. there is the angle of the seat, and 2 angles on the valve. If you get a 5 angle job, please post pictures, and prove this old fart wrong 
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Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 536
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Well, I specifically asked the guy at the machine shop about a 3-angle valve job with a 30 degree back-cut. He said that they do a 5-angle job instead of a 3-angle job on the intake valves. I'm not sure how that works (if it works), but I'll make sure and ask him, see if he can show me what he's talking about. If he's full of crap, then I'll definitely be taking my head elsewhere to get it worked on. Haha
