Marcus,
$250 seems like a lot. I just did an MGB head for a LOT less.
What you need depends upon what you have and what condition its in.
The minimum unleaded goal is hardened exhaust seats and sealing valves.
The all out goal would be hardened exhaust & intake seats, new bronze valve
quides & a new set of exhaust valves with a fresh valve job.
Take the head down to an automotive machinist. Have him disassemble the head
and look it over for you. At a minimum you will need hardened exhaust seats.
If the valves are worn or starting to burn replace them (having owned air
cooled VWs in the past, I always replace all exhaust valves if I feel a need to
replace any). If the guides are showing wear, replace them with nes bronze ones.
If you feel rich, have a set of hardened intake seats put in as well. Pick a
good automotive machinest and work with him. Don't go out & buy a whole kit
if all you need is a set of hardened seats! The machinist will also check
the head over for cracks & the mating surface for warps if you ask.
While you are at it, have the machinist balance the engine. Grank, rods, pistons
flywheel, clutch & front pulley. Your car will run a bit smoother and last
longer.
The machinist can check your springs & retainers for you when he disassembles
the head.
Push rods are easy. Just roll them on a flat surface. If they wobble they
are bent & recycle bin stuffers. Look at both ends. Other than shinnyness
they should not show wear. Your rocker arm shaft sounds OK.Try to wiggle
the rocker arms themselves. They should slide side to side & up & down.
There should be no other movement. If there is, its time to put new bushings
in. Buy a whole set & take them to your machinist, because the fit is
machined in after the bushings are put in the rocker arm.
When in doubt about the wear of anything, take it to your machinist. He is
your partner on the project. Its important to get a good one up front.
Oh one more thing. If you are reusing the cam and lifters, be sure that the
lifters go back into the same holes that they started in so each lifter can
ride on the same cam lobe that it did before you took things appart. If you
mix them, you are asking for one or more lobes to wear quickly.
Whenever I go through an engine, i replace the timing chain, gears and tensioner
as a matter of course. Chains sreach over time. Streached chains cause gears
to
wear. i want my timing to be right on.
TeriAnn
Getting close to time to rebuild the TR3's engine so it will be ready to go
back into the TR :*)
|