I would continue to shop around if you're not happy with the prices the machine shops quoted. The machine shop does not have to be familiar with Mini engines or cylinder heads to do this task correctly.
Were you in the U.S. I would consider the price you were quoted "reasonable", particularly if the shop is doing ALL the work to seat the valves. (That's reaming the guides, cutting the valve seats, grinding the valves, and lapping them in). You've already invested some time and effort in this head, it would be a shame to loose what you've already invested.
Buying a used head from anywhere is a gamble. You may be replacing one worn out head with another. Though the 128 GBP may seem like a lot, compare that price to a fully rebuilt head from a stocking distributor and I'm sure it will begin to look favorable. I suspect if you look at the prices for a professionally rebuilt head it will also include a core charge. If you're not planning on returning the old head to them you have to add that to your overall cost. If you do return the core to them you have to figure in the cost of return shipping.
Valve Guide Question
Started by
kez_19
, Mar 26 2009 07:50 AM
17 replies to this topic
#16
dklawson
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Moved Into The Garage
- Name: Doug
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Posted 27 March 2009 - 12:12 PM
#17
kez_19
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One Carb Or Two?
Posted 27 March 2009 - 12:26 PM
i understand what you are saying
as for the time and effort i have put in to it all i have done is to remove the valves etc and press out the old guides and press in the new ones so i don't consider it to be too much time.
as for getting a new head as far as my limited knowledge in mini heads goes looking at mini spares home page i see a reworked head all set up with valves, springs, hardened seats fully re-worked costs £188 so only £60 more than i have been quoted to re-work my old head
as for buying a used head i am not planning to use the car as a daily drive i will probably take it out in summer (mainly due to the weather conditions up here) so i feel it would be too much money to spend on a new/re-worked head
michael
as for the time and effort i have put in to it all i have done is to remove the valves etc and press out the old guides and press in the new ones so i don't consider it to be too much time.
as for getting a new head as far as my limited knowledge in mini heads goes looking at mini spares home page i see a reworked head all set up with valves, springs, hardened seats fully re-worked costs £188 so only £60 more than i have been quoted to re-work my old head
as for buying a used head i am not planning to use the car as a daily drive i will probably take it out in summer (mainly due to the weather conditions up here) so i feel it would be too much money to spend on a new/re-worked head
michael
#18
Dan
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On Sabbatical
Posted 27 March 2009 - 03:50 PM
ps guessworks do you have any more links to that workshop manual looks very useful
It's the Rover manual and a lot better than a Haynes. You can get a copy from most of the Mini specialists.
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