bubblin surf

[dannyboy1979]

hi all i just bought myself a knackered surf 3.0 m reg with a mere 250k on the clock, it's misfiring and smoking and bubbling in the header tank. i'm pretty sure the head is cracked. my question is, are the heads off ebay any good? i am a motor mechanic so will be carrying out the repairs myself but don't want to buy a head that won't last 5 minutes. can anyone recommend somewhere i can source a decent one? also the 4wd doesn't work when i press the button on the gearstick. all fuses etc ok but previous owner informs me that he towed something heavy once while the car had different size front and rear wheels on and 4wd hasn't worked since then! i guess transfer box is probably shagged but the light doesn't even come on when i press the button. any ideas? thanks in advance

[Dobbslc]

The Roughtrax AMC heads seem to be the best around but cost twice as much as the eBay ones. I'll probably go for the AMC when the time comes.....
I think I worked it out that if I bought the bare head with bolts, oil and filters, gaskets, coolent, stat, pump etc along with a workshop manual but not the timing belt (it's new) it came to about £850 odd.
Never done a head on a diesel before though.

[RebelV8]

I bought a Roughtrax head to fit my 2.4, never changed a head before (had loads of help from everyone on here). It's up and running again, just needs the timing sorted out once and for all.

The Roughtrax head certainly seems worth it, in my opinion anyway

[caney]

hi all i just bought myself a knackered surf 3.0 m reg with a mere 250k on the clock, it's misfiring and smoking and bubbling in the header tank. i'm pretty sure the head is cracked. my question is, are the heads off ebay any good? i am a motor mechanic so will be carrying out the repairs myself but don't want to buy a head that won't last 5 minutes. can anyone recommend somewhere i can source a decent one? also the 4wd doesn't work when i press the button on the gearstick. all fuses etc ok but previous owner informs me that he towed something heavy once while the car had different size front and rear wheels on and 4wd hasn't worked since then! i guess transfer box is probably shagged but the light doesn't even come on when i press the button. any ideas? thanks in advance

stevo head you cant get better

[dannyboy1979]

Hi guys just an update, I spent all my cylinder head money on a 1959 ford popular so resorted to trying a leak fix on the surf. A mate gave me a bottle of goop called silver seal which comes from the states and is for petrol v8s. I didn't hold out much hope but it appears to have worked, for 2 whole days so far ! Thanks for the help and advice

[Wolfracer]

You've bought yourself some time, but filled the cooling system with glue...
I'd flush that crap out as soon as you can get the head done... ie before you take the head off.