While doing my headgasket, my mechanic noticed a small surface crack on my heads. Its not leaking now, and he gave me the option to put it on or to replace it. I'm leaning to replace it with a new one as I don't want to have this engine torn apart anytime soon again. New oem for a 3VZE are about $850. I found a shop in Clearwater, Florida that apparently is pretty reputable and they sell rebuilt and new aftermarket heads. New ones from them are about $300 shipped. With something like this, I almost think I'm better off sticking with OEM, but then again, they have problems as well. I wouldn't get just any made in China heads, but I don't know where these come from either. Should I risk aftermarket heads from a shop that is apparently reputable and been in business for 25 years and save $500, or should I just stick with OEM on these?

The shop I'm looking at is Clearwater Cylinder Heads. If anyone here has dealt with them, I'd like your feedback. Thanks!!!

 

Stick with OEM, but you can find them for a better price than $850.

I have not dealt with Clearwater, but I went through the same process a few months ago. In terms of purchasing new or rebuilt heads, a couple of shops told me the rebuilt heads were genuine Toyota and were preferable over the new heads because the new ones were Chinese made and not as good quality.

Another option is to find a couple of used heads from the salvage yard, with a guarantee that they are good (ie. not cracked) and then have a machine shop clean them up, test them, do a valve job and resurface. I was able to get two reconditioned genuine Toyota heads, with the valves fully adjusted, ready to bolt on for $400.

Good luck with it.

 

Yea I can find them for a better price, best I've found for new OEM from a dealer is $630. I don't want to do the rebuilt deal. They could crack at any time. I could throw my current ones back on, they only have a surface crack,but who knows if or when that will expand? I'd rather have some new ones, pay a bit more now, and not have to tear my engine apart again any time soon. But then obviously new ones can have their issues too, so perhaps I'm being a bit too cautious...$300 new aftermarket or $630 new OEM???

 

I also vote for the junkyard route. Clean it up and adjust the valves and your good to go for cheap. Any head could crack, no matter where it came from.

But 300 shipped for a rebuilt is a good deal.

 

Why does everyone say OEM when not 1 person on here has had an issue with the topline brand heads that engnbldr sells? Best thing with those, they are already fully assembled ready to go. No extra work and cost to put new valves and seats in and if you buy the cam from them as well they will install it for you.

dang oh wait, 22r in the brain, missed 3vze. Not sure if engnbldr sells 3vze heads or not.

 

Just checked LCE, they dont have one for the veezee.

Heck, I have a set of stock heads in pieces in my shop not being used. Sell em to you cheap, but shipping might kill the deal. PM me if your interested.

 

Yep, that was one of the first places I looked, no 3vze listed on their site.
Seems like there is OEM (Japanese made perhaps) and then there is Made in China - doesn't matter who sells them or makes them, all aftermarket ones I've found are made in China. Not that this necessarily matters, and there probably are differences in quality between manufacturers. Its just a crap shoot as to if they hold up or not. I think I've found a place close to me in Oakland that sells aftermarket that I'm going to go with. Otherwise, I'll just try to find the best price I can on OEM.

Thanks!!!

 

>>>*Yes, we have them in stock, but as bare castings. Tod has been wanting to set up and start building them to ready to go but he is up to his ears in the 22RE stuff and just has never gotten around to it.

He is like me, if he doesn't have every part in his hands and can fit them himself he won't sell them.

Note: Almost NOTHING is coming out of Japan at the moment and I suspect it just might be years before anything does. We got notice our cam blanks restock order was cancelled.

That doesn't affect the heads, those come from Argentina or rarely Spain, but cams?

Man. What a mess....we can get good blanks out of Germany but they are 40% higher.

*Maybe it is time for me to retire completely and raise cows.....*EB

 

Got my engnbldr heads on the way. Glad Ted saw this post, I just assumed that since they're not on the website that they don't have them. Should be here early next week. I'll post when it gets all put back together.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

Got my heads from Ted, trucks all put back together and working. Only time will tell if these heads hold up. But according to Ted, they're from the same plant as the 22re heads that he has and everyone talks about how good they are. Hoping to get many more years out of this truck-and not have to tear this engine apart anytime soon.