I have a crack in my head!!! Is there a doctor in the house?

[Mark Howard]

Of course I mean the head on my car! My 1.8 had some small exhaust leaks from around the copper gaskets and I was short on time so I took it to my local P mechanic to put in some new studs and gaskets.

He never calls me unless something is terribly wrong.

On the right side of the engine, under the exhaust stud toward the front of the car, the PO had put in a tap that had such a large diameter that the aluminum was thin and weak and broke off around the stud and the tap. Now the exhaust won't seal against the head.

My mechanic says the (rebuilt) engine is really a piece of crap and that i should install another 1.8 that I have from a parts car (46K miles on it, but looks like hell). It can be cleaned and installed by my mechanic for $225. Good bolt on parts from the "rebuilt" engine will be used as required.

Does this sound like a good idea? Is the price about right? Can that head be repaired? Thoughts anyone?


------------------
Mark Howard
'88 Carrera
'62 356/B
'75 914 1.8 resto

[john rogers]

Well to repair the cracked head you'd have to drop the engine, remove the head, disassemble the head, get it welded, then machined and finally reassemble everything and since one head is off you might as well go over both heads to make things even.....I would go with the engine swap for lower cost. Good luck.

[Dave Bell]

Sounds like a good deal to me... only way you could get away any cheaper is if you did all the swapping yourself.... plus it sounds like the fastest way to get the teener back on the road.

I assume that he is going to give you back the 1.8 with the cracked head.... at which point you can have all or parts of it re-done at your leisure and have another spare engine on hand if you like.