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The head on my KZN130 is finished, as seems quite common. I am considering options for replacement, my question is: How difficult is it to fit a bare cylinder head? Using the old head as a donor, do I need to be pressing in valve guides and seats? Also, do the insets that cover the inner combustion chamber come prefitted to a bare cylinder head? - Mine are all cracked. What parts need to be renewed rather than transferred from the old head?
I want to establish if it's best to get a 2nd hand complete head, get a bare head and transfer, or get a bare head and take it with the old head to a motor engineers and let them do the work?
Many must have the same dilemma - the cost of a fully built up head off the shelf looks to be about 1/2 the value of the car.
Also, here is a funny one - the head gasket I have taken off the car, and the new one I bought both have some of the coolant holes blanked off - down one side of the head adjacent to the injectors. Both the head and the block have the holes in place but the gasket blanks them off. Is there any sense in that?
Also, I have run my car on Bio quite extensively - Any opinion on whether that might have destroyed the head? - it is cracked over two cylinders and all the injector chamber inserts are also cracked as mentioned.
Is this a case of 'serves you right, pal'?
I want to establish if it's best to get a 2nd hand complete head, get a bare head and transfer, or get a bare head and take it with the old head to a motor engineers and let them do the work?
Many must have the same dilemma - the cost of a fully built up head off the shelf looks to be about 1/2 the value of the car.
Also, here is a funny one - the head gasket I have taken off the car, and the new one I bought both have some of the coolant holes blanked off - down one side of the head adjacent to the injectors. Both the head and the block have the holes in place but the gasket blanks them off. Is there any sense in that?
Also, I have run my car on Bio quite extensively - Any opinion on whether that might have destroyed the head? - it is cracked over two cylinders and all the injector chamber inserts are also cracked as mentioned.
Is this a case of 'serves you right, pal'?
I'm merely saying that the time is taking its toll. The heads that go are generally, (in the majority of cases), on Surf's that receive minimal maintenance at best. Look around at the ones who do try to keep on top of their Surf's, maintenance wise, and you'll note that few of us, (unless they happen to have bought one with an already knacked head), suffer the heads cracking, as a rule.
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