91 pickup. New head opinions
Mar 20, 2018 | 04:26 PM
#1
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91 pickup. New head opinions
New here fellas. I have a 91 pickup I bought several years back. Lost a head gasket back in October. I put a new gasket in and today It went out again. Im fairly certain it’s time for a new head. I was checking out eBay looks like you can buy a complete head for around 200 Has anyone tried one of those? This truck gets run daily and I’m trying to get it back together cheap as possible. I may put a new engine in it but for now just to get rolling again I’m gonna repair the engine in there.
If I do put a new engine in it’s gonna have to wait a couple years
i guess I’m just asking opinions on a decent usable head to get a few years out of. Or if I’m lucky maybe longer. Open to any opinions. Trying to keep this as low cost as possible.
New bolts
new head
new oem gasket. Went aftermarket last time
If I do put a new engine in it’s gonna have to wait a couple years
i guess I’m just asking opinions on a decent usable head to get a few years out of. Or if I’m lucky maybe longer. Open to any opinions. Trying to keep this as low cost as possible.
New bolts
new head
new oem gasket. Went aftermarket last time
Mar 21, 2018 | 04:06 AM
#3
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i would be checking the flattness of the head at rest and the block too even, before making any decision.
The head may be perfectly flat, in which case the gasket may have been faulty or just not up to the job due to design or illmanufacture, and it wouldnt be the first time let me tell you that!
You may even find the headgasket is fine...
What are the symptoms this time?
Could just be sucking in coolant through intake manifold, but yeh if u have the milkshake then I guess its fairly safe to say, HG is gone. IM jsut makign sure u dont have another issue first.
The head may be perfectly flat, in which case the gasket may have been faulty or just not up to the job due to design or illmanufacture, and it wouldnt be the first time let me tell you that!
You may even find the headgasket is fine...
What are the symptoms this time?
Could just be sucking in coolant through intake manifold, but yeh if u have the milkshake then I guess its fairly safe to say, HG is gone. IM jsut makign sure u dont have another issue first.
Mar 21, 2018 | 04:36 AM
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I put all new gaskets on in October. My family are mechanics. Did not send head out for a shave. I don’t even know where to send an aluminum head around these parts. I’m fairly sure the head is warped as they advised me it was time for a new head when the new timing chain and issues were addressed when I first got the truck. This is my second 91. Used an aftermarket gasket with old bolts last time just to get up and running. Fairly certain I’m putting a new head on this time. As I’ve blown two gaskets in the last 6 months. I didn’t do the work myself but these guys know what they’re doing. Definitely going with an oem gasket with the new head. Just kinda looking for opinions on heads.
Thanks fellas
Thanks fellas
Mar 21, 2018 | 05:10 AM
#5
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well ill give u 3 opinions, and one of them is to first check that the head u have is actually warped. dont just take someone elses word for it especailly if they didnt actually take it off and cehck it.
If you do, you may waste your money on a new head when the issue is elsewhere. Its also possible, and velry likely, that your head bolts werent retorqued like they are supposed to be, which leads to imminent HG failure.
So option 2, ebay head.
Problems,
a. no returns unless theres a manufacturing fault, so if it doesnt fix ur issue uve waste 200 dollars..
b. They dont come with rocker gear, so you wil end up using rocker gear from your used head, i know you will, and this will lead to other not critical problems, but problems that are bad enoguh to create annoying noises and premature wear. Its just the extra 2 shafts for the rockers that cause the problem. The rocker gear is assembled first then machined. Putting it on a different head is asking for trouble unfortunately. Ebay china replacements are good for pushrod engines and DOHC only really, as they come with the holes machined for the cam shaft, or jsut a flat surface for lifter gear in the case of push rods. You could try it, but its really just a risk that might be ok, but best be avoided if economicaly possible.
OPTION 3
Find one second hand for sale on the classifieds, wiht all the rocker gear, somwhere that will post such an item to your location. It will be a bit cheaper, but coming with all he gear from a workign vehicle, is actually a lot less hassle than assembling a new one from china.
No matter whcih way you go, first have them check the mating surface of both current surfaces, the head and the block, with a real, genuine machinist tool designed for it across all 4 planes, diagonaly, left n right and up n down.
And make sure they get you to come back after about 50 heat cylces to get the bolts re torqued.
If you do, you may waste your money on a new head when the issue is elsewhere. Its also possible, and velry likely, that your head bolts werent retorqued like they are supposed to be, which leads to imminent HG failure.
So option 2, ebay head.
Problems,
a. no returns unless theres a manufacturing fault, so if it doesnt fix ur issue uve waste 200 dollars..
b. They dont come with rocker gear, so you wil end up using rocker gear from your used head, i know you will, and this will lead to other not critical problems, but problems that are bad enoguh to create annoying noises and premature wear. Its just the extra 2 shafts for the rockers that cause the problem. The rocker gear is assembled first then machined. Putting it on a different head is asking for trouble unfortunately. Ebay china replacements are good for pushrod engines and DOHC only really, as they come with the holes machined for the cam shaft, or jsut a flat surface for lifter gear in the case of push rods. You could try it, but its really just a risk that might be ok, but best be avoided if economicaly possible.
OPTION 3
Find one second hand for sale on the classifieds, wiht all the rocker gear, somwhere that will post such an item to your location. It will be a bit cheaper, but coming with all he gear from a workign vehicle, is actually a lot less hassle than assembling a new one from china.
No matter whcih way you go, first have them check the mating surface of both current surfaces, the head and the block, with a real, genuine machinist tool designed for it across all 4 planes, diagonaly, left n right and up n down.
And make sure they get you to come back after about 50 heat cylces to get the bolts re torqued.
Mar 21, 2018 | 02:24 PM
#6
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I’ve never sent my old head out to be shaved. I don’t really know where to have it done anymore. The shop that used to do it is gone. I believe this truck ran hot on the previous owner. Heat guage didn’t work when I bought it. Also Had a new radiator in it. If I knew for a fact the history of this head I would consider having it rebuilt.
I have a used head laying around from a different 22re but it spun a cam bearing and didn’t look like it is worth saving. For these reasons I think a new head is my answer. Or a rebuilt head. I’ll keep my old one as I have a fetish for these engines.
Another reason I want to go this route is I want to pull the old head off and put a new one on and be fixed.
Cam shaft looked good last time it was apart. Any opinions on a head? Where to buy ect.
I have a used head laying around from a different 22re but it spun a cam bearing and didn’t look like it is worth saving. For these reasons I think a new head is my answer. Or a rebuilt head. I’ll keep my old one as I have a fetish for these engines.
Another reason I want to go this route is I want to pull the old head off and put a new one on and be fixed.
Cam shaft looked good last time it was apart. Any opinions on a head? Where to buy ect.
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