My 91 TR started blowing steam and began to bubble in radiator after an oil change. Oil is not milky, yet.

Im getting a head pressure test done and hopefully the head is ok. The mechanic I spoke to suggested getting the head overhauled at around $400.

I picked it up from nrma damaged vehicle auction as a hail damaged car. Interior is immaculate, hail damage and needs a paint job. Is it worth spending the money on fixing the head or should I just get rid of it. I also have a spare head pulled from another car but when removing the head bolts some were very loose while others were very tight so I think that one may be warped.

Im a pensioner so I dont want to throw money at it if its not worth doing.

Leenuks

$400 approx is the going price for a head recondition

got a picture of the car ,

for members to look at

to see if its worth keeping ?

Paint of top of car is faded and patchy.
You can see the hail damage in the last pic. Most obvious damage anyway.
Yeah I know it needs a clean.
TBH, Im not really worried about looks, just reliability.

Its also done 237,000klms.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x274/Leenuks/Cars/1.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x274/Leenuks/Cars/2.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x274/Leenuks/Cars/3.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x274/Leenuks/Cars/4.jpg

That car looks pretty clean, as far as a second gen goes. As i understand it, you picked this up cheap from a nrma damaged vehicle thingo right? If that's the case, and it'll only cost you $400 on a reco head to get the engine running again, sounds like a bargain to me - especially since you said you don't really care about looks. A respray wouldn't be cheap though!

edit* i need to read posts properly haha nvm

These motors I have seen with over 400ks on them so unless you do a lot of miles you have a long life in the engine yet

You are doing the right thing getting the head pressure tested, on the front of the head is there a number like M6 etc

Do not put an older head on it, keep to what you have or better.

Is strange for this to start after an oil change, were there any obvious signs of the head gasket such as the gasket itself when removed?

The head gasket I think is the original.

When i removed it some of the gasket remained on the block and head, leaving the gasket looking pitted in places. Those places are brittle.

I am hoping thats all the problem is and a new gasket will fix it.

The oil change may have been just a coincidence.

ive got head trouble......my wife wont do it tonight lol

OK. Ive had the head pressure tested for cracks etc and all is good. The head does have an m6 written on the side like it was written with welding.

As for warpage the engineer said it was 2 thou out in the middle which isnt much in my opinion. He did try to talk me into getting it shaved.

So when I get a sunny day Ill be putting the head back on it.

Oh and what IDIOT puts alan key bolts to hold the fuel manifold etc to the block. I have an 8mil alan key that fits but the angle makes it impossible to undo as either the manifold pipes or the engine block stops you from undoing it. GRRRR

Your best bet is to get an electric drill and get your allen key (or a cheap one of the same size) and cut the short end off it and stick it in your drill, tis what i did when there was a tight gap somewhere, hope it works out mate

~twiggy~

Try and get yourself an M28 head. Has larger valves and is a roller rocker setup.

2 thou isnt much, but if its causing your water to bubble, it means its an issue. I would be getting it faced up. Its only going to get worse if you leave it.:cool:

A drill would not fit back there. The other head I pulled from a wreck had proper bolts in it.

I could get the head faced but at the moment Im very short on cash plus the engineer I took it too kept changing the quote.

Was quoted around $65 for pressure test and $86 for that and a pre-inspection which turned out to be $135 and on the phone he told me $154 with all that AND head shave.

I tried to pull him up on $86 as what he quoted "by word". Wasnt on paper so tough for me.

I could see getting it all done and having it go over what he said it would cost.

Teterin Engineering in newcastle if anyone is interested. I wont go there again.