Hi All,

Machine shop here in Massachusetts just called me with an estimate on my head work.

- Clean head in wash tank (done)
- Magnaflux (done)
- 6 new valves
- 6 new exhaust valve guides
- Mill .060
- Grind valves / "Valve Job"

I brought the head in completely disassembled.
Estimate: $500

Seems like a lot, even for Massachusetts. Anyone chime in here?

-Mac

I had a head done recently in Portland, Oregon. I too took in a disassembled head and did the reassembly myself. I had the bowls cut for oversize valves that I provided, guides shortened .100" and cut for positive seals, the combustion chambers were CCd, the head cut .080" to achieve 50cc chambers, the exhaust guides replaced and one manifold stud hole got an insert. The only parts the machine shop supplied were the valve stem seals, guides and the threaded insert. Total was $360.

You have a little less labor as your guides were not cut for positive seals or shortened and the valve seats were not enlarged, but they do have to grind 6 of your valves. Your stock valves shouldn't be much, if any more than $6 each so I would have to say the estimate is about $100 high especially if they aren't checking the combustion chamber volume.

eBay seller engnbldr has oversize slant valve listed again in auction 380047064501 if you want to upgrade while you've got the head off.

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Joshua

When I had my head done I took it to them dissasembled, they hot tanked it, complete valve job, one new valve, bushed all the guides, 0.100" taken off, reasembled, and complete engine seal kit was almost $500.

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where in mass? ron

The bigger question is will the shop do good work? Yes, it does seem a touch high, but not bad if they do quality work.

I had a couple blocks done by "The best damn Mopar guy in the area" last year. Price was decent, machine work was very good, but attention to detail and accuracy ordering parts sucked. Good news is that after I bitched and waited a month for him to correct his second screw-up, he's never billed me.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Ron - Beverly Mass

A lot will depend on the valve job. There are valve jobs, and then there are valve jobs. A cheap job will just be cutting the seat at one angle, and the valves at one angle. A good job will cut the seat angle, then do a top cut and a bottom cut, to locate the seat at the proper place and have it at the proper width. A 1st class valve job will add a back cut to the valves, to get a flow improvement, and the proper width. Also a good/1st class job will have all the valve stems at the same hight, whether for a solid or hydro head. I would think twice about just haveing the exhaust guides done. If the intakes guides are too sloppy, you will use oil. Also do not "settle" for knurling the guides. That is a cheap/temporary fix. If they are doing the assembly, the spring hights/tension should also be set the same.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Yeah, it depends on the kind of valve job they do (overhaul vs. performance), and also what kind of machines they use. If they use a guide/seat machine, and have a nice shop with nice stuff, they will usually have a higher price. The cut rate shops that use old machines and equipment are the ones that can do it cheaply. I've worked at a cut rate shop for the past 4 years, and what you had done would cost about 300-400 at the most at our shop. However, there would be no back cut valves, no performance valve job, etc. The little labor costs are what is eating your bill up. Shops mark up the price of valves, so they were probably around 10 each your cost. Guides will probably be a couple bucks a piece, but the labor costs for guides is usually high, and it depends on whether or not they use liners. Our cut rate shop charges 15 to replace the first guide and 10 per guide after that.. That's ~125$ right there. Then, the cost of the valve job (grinding seats) will usually be between 125 and 150, so you are between 250 and 300 rnow. Surfacing (if they have a mill type surfacer) that much will be ~100+ considering the setup time and how long it takes to remove that much material (usually .003-.005" per pass. That's ~350-400 right there, and then did they assemble it? Assembly will cost some, then there is also the cost of the stem seals.

What I'm getting at, is usually everything adds up quick when the cost of new parts gets thrown in with the labor to install them and do non-standard things (surface). If it bothers you too much, get them to write an itemized estimate so you can call around to other shops and compare the prices.

What is the going rate for seat replacement?
Since 6 valves need to be replaced anyways, I am considering going the oversized valve route from eBay.

slanted, i have used www.jandm-machine.com in southborough and have gotten good service at a fair price. i still chuckle about john's facial response when i had .100 taken off my big valve head. "ron, you mean .010, right? i ended up showing them the cross sectional pics from doc of a cut up head before they would machine that much. ron

I'm not current on /6 parts prices but it ought to come with new hardened exhaust seats and springs for $500. You can get a set of 360 or 440 heads from Aerohead with all new hi-po hardware for that much so the /6 should be close.

Yes if you are like me and have a small block mopar thats a really good deal because you can spend $500 on a set of heads real quick. $500 sounds about right in the ball park to have a /6 head gone through. Add even more for putting o/s valves in a /6 head as well....big $$$$

Portland Engine Rebuilders will do my valve job with bronze guide inserts, hard exhaust seats and new valves for $225. The .100" mill is $80. Out the door for $305, hopefully. Follow along in this thread: http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30217

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Joshua