has anyone had any experience with stateside tuning? in particular their reconditioned heads? I'd like to have something that's original casting as Ive seen some pretty naff copies in the search for a good replacement.
Stateside generally don't use used heads, they buy new and rebuild them to a high standard, expensive but the best you will find I think
Ah okay, I'm guessing his £185 per exchange item on the website isnt up to date then. Reading a lot of good things about them... wondering if this is the same Jim that @zed recommended..
If you can't get hold of him, it's because he's having some personal time off at the moment... I'm talking 2 to 4 months, from what I understand!! I'm currently rebuilding an engine for a customer, who was going to use Jim, but he's using me for that reason!! Are you wanting stock heads, or something a bit bigger in the valve department??
not heard anything back from them/him yet but only tried an email and a couple of missed calls. I'm just after stock replacement to be honest. otherwise i'll have to change the other head to match any increase in valve size (so i'm told) and i cant afford to swap them both especialy as the other head is behaving and doesnt budge on it's adjustments.
You can check the part number in the rocker cover area... but the proper way to make sure is to pull the head and measure the valves!! I might have a good 2l head... I'll need to get it on the bench and double check it though, but I'm also sure that I have ported and polished it!!
if it's a good one would you consider selling it?? I'll do a measure up tonight and drop you a message. it's on the bench so I'll get the number and measurements for you. Cheers Dave
A different Jim. As Paul says, the Stateside chap is out of action for a while but I heard yesterday all going well. Can't go into details. TES = the engine shop, but it sounds like yout head is beyond rebuilding to standard. It's worth giving him a call. If pauls head it ported and polished it won't be a good pair without doing same to you other one. This would be a good time to whip the other off and inspect as if it's also no good so you need a pair your options might open up a bit. eg have both existing sorted with bigger valves?
I'd hope that the PO (@Fish) had used the same size valves on the other side.... think i might take the other one off and double check now. my worry is upsetting something that's running fine for the sake of a bit of a nosey
Yours wouldn’t be the first engine to have a ‘big valve’ 1800 head on one side and a ‘small valve’ 2.0 head on the other – that’s why I asked how you knew what size the valves were not because I have any reason to suspect the PO had done anything suspicious. The head part number means virtually nothing and the only way you will know the valve size is to measure them.
yeah i know, Fish seemed to know his onions but I guess someone else might have had their mits on it between him and me.
@Paul Weeding ,I measured the valves and got 37.5 for the inlet and 33 for the exhaust valve. I tried to make out the casting number but got as far as 022 10..... not even confident in that. Let me know if you have any ideas :/ Cheers Dave
I think the best thing to do is pop the head off... as I said before, if it has got the head gaskets fitted, then likely as not they will be pressure leaking... VW did a workshop update, which deleted them, and recommended the use of a barrel spacer instead!!
It is off, it's on my work bench. I've measured the valves as above. The cast is pretty poor where the number is. There's no rings or gaskets fitted.
