My local shop wants 50 bucks to pressure test the head. 50 bucks to resurface in so for the pressure test I spend 50, If the head is no good it's still 50. Iam thinking I mite as well get a remanufactured head. Dose this make sense? If I replace one head but not the other will I get some miles out of the car? What a can of worms!

First of all, why do you think it needs pressure testing? What year car is it? Some cracks between the valves are common on Soob heads, the ones that go up into the exhaust manifold are the bad ones. You dont need to pressure test to see if it needs resurfaced, just use a good straight edge to see if its warped.

If the heads are rebuilt by a good shop, there shouldnt be any problem with them. Make sure they give some kind of warranty.

have it milled only. don't pressure test it.

 

pressure testing is nice, but you should be fine without it. if the car drove fine, the head was fine before and you blew a gasket but didn't abuse the car (like over heat it, blow the gasket and keep adding water and still drive it for 6 months) then i wouldn't get it pressure tested.

 

i've actually replaced a few head gaskets without milling (for friends who wouldn't spend the 50 bucks) without incident so far, but one day it's not going to hold.

 

mill it and clean the head bolts really well (i use a wire brush and drill). then lightly oil the head bolts so they go in smooth and torque accurately. this will keep your head gasket lasting awhile.

$50! for a pressure test? The shop i took my heads to said they would test them both for $30 and if they failed wouldnt work on them. Luckily they passed and i had them rebuilt. They worked great afterward, but Rob is right... 98% chance the heads are fine. just need to be milled.

 

-Brian

there really isnt any standard for small machine work is there? LOL! Anyway, i say as long as you shut car off and didnt overheat it, and took head off without scratching the crap out of the mating surface, resurface the darn thing and put her back in. Rule of thumb is, is you dont overheat aluminum heads, then you really shouldnt have to do too much to them, unless your coolant was dumping out the head onto the ground...

 

 

 

 

~Josh~