[urq] Cylinder Head Q [LONG]

Mon Feb 28 12:35:53 EST 2005

You may want to take some time and look through the archives from ....let's 
think here.....spring/early summer 2001.  I went through to hell and back 
having my head re-done.  Here's what I know (or think I know)

I'm not the expert on warped heads and such - but I'd guess a simple 
re-surface would fix any warpage and you can re-install.  I don't recall if 
you recently had the valves done - so if not I would take the opportunity to 
go ahead and do that.  As for the EM - while it's off, and it's been heat 
cycled - I'd have its mating surface flattened too - local machinist here 
charges $45.  But assuming its just a little warped - I think I'd just have 
it resurfaced and call it good.  I probably should have done that years ago 
when I did my 10V rebuild - I got scared off by some warpage and the EM 
mounting face needing a good amount of flattening - and went on a 
country-wide seach for a head....

If you choose to replace the head - probably the first thing you need to 
find is a  head that pressure tests OK.  I went through I think 3 heads 
before finding one that pressure tested ok.  As Jim said KH head is good 
replacement - (this is what I did) - no mods needs.  It is the exact same 
casting as WX but has hydraulic lifters.  So I don't believe it flows any 
better than WX.  As for hydraulic lifters - unless you're going to track it 
and plan to rev it past 7000 they are fine.  Being a hydraulic lifter head - 
WX cam will not work.   KH cam reportedly sucks.  I never even tried it - I 
had my WX solid lifter cam reground by Delta to 268/270 specs - about as 
aggressive as you can get and still pass emissions here on our rolling dynos 
in CO - for the hydraulic lifter KH head.  If emissions don't matter - I 
think some people like the characteristics of the 272.  Somewhat lumpy idle 
but great top end to match the K26.

Now - a little more involved option would be an MC head.  If I were to 
replace a head I think I would go this route.  It does have better flow 
characteristics than the WX/KH.  But it does require that an oil galley (I 
think) be welded shut.  Keith Anderson I believe, knows how/what to do - as 
do others I'm sure.  And it would come with a good cam - unlike the KH.

but I bet your head is fine - just get it resurfaced.....and do the EM too.

anyway  hth

Brandon
'84 ur

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pasqualoni, James E" <james.pasqualoni at gs.com>
To: "'Andrew B'" <andrew.sb at gmail.com>; <urq at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 9:08 AM
Subject: RE: [urq] Cylinder Head Q

> Suggestion, and please those who know better (ie-all of you) please chime
> in, but I replaced my head with a head from a KH motor (2.144 l turbo from
> 84/85 5k turbo), as it has better flow characteristics than the WX (or so
> I'm told).  The head was machined, and all new internals were installed,
> then it was an easy (um, relatively) swap.  The parts were inexpensive, 
> the
> used head came from Force5, and you can get the internals just about
> anywhere.
>
> HTH,
> Jim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew B [mailto:andrew.sb at gmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 10:58 AM
> To: Pasqualoni, James E; urq at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [urq] Cylinder Head Q
>
>
> If I end up needing a new head, where is a good place to look, and what 
> for?
> I would imagine the damage isn't that bad, but I'll probably want to have
> the head machined while it's out, and maybe a valve job too, since it's 
> the
> best time.  Would a replacement head be an upgrade at all?  It might save 
> a
> little bit of panic if it can be fixed just by swapping the head, rather
> than rolling the dice and waiting to see what's inside.
>
> -A
>
>
> On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 10:50:48 -0500, Pasqualoni, James E
> <james.pasqualoni at gs.com> wrote:
>> You may also want to carefully check for cracks in the head.  Mine was
>> warped and had some hair-line cracks on the side facing the head
>> gasket-yikes!  I replaced my WX head one from a KH.
>>
>> HTH,
>> Jim
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:urq-bounces at audifans.com] On
>> Behalf Of Thatcher Hubbard
>> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 10:41 AM
>> To: Urq List
>> Subject: Re: [urq] Cylinder Head Q
>>
>> The cost of having a machine shop deck the head is pretty trivial
>> compared to the time it will take you to get the whole head off the
>> car in the first place.  I had a lot of work done on my head, but I
>> think machining it flat was $60.  If you're not wanting to do a bunch
>> of other stuff while you're in there, do this at a minimum.
>>
>> On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 02:40:30 EST, AudiQtroCp at aol.com
>> <AudiQtroCp at aol.com>
>> wrote:
>> > If it overheated, its prolly gonna be a head gasket with a side
>> > order of head warpage.
>> >
>> > Assume the above, its its not true, play the lotto.
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