Cylinder head testing.

I'm considering buying cylinder heads from the junk yard and reselling them on ebay.

Is there an easy way to tell if a head is good without putting it on an engine?

You can check the valves for leaks by laying them on a clean bench with the chamber pointing up, fill them with fluid, preferably gasoline, and see if any drips past the valves. (Cardboard or paper is nice, cause you can see whether it dripped or evaporated.)

You can check the mating surface of the cylinder block with a verifiably straight edge. There are usually spec'ed tolerances here, depending on the motor.

Take them to NAPA for mag particle inspection, dye penetrant if they are aluminum. This will tell you if there are cracks.

Dan

Do you know about how much NAPA charges for that?

I've used rubbing alcohol mixed with red food coloring with good results. For motorcycle heads I have a spare 40cc syringe, which I previously used to administer laxative to my girlfriends cat, for this purpose. I lead a charmed life.

I think you should be able to buy those at the local drug store.

Strange post by the way.

jpaturzo wrote: I've used rubbing alcohol mixed with red food coloring with good results. For motorcycle heads I have a spare 40cc syringe, which I previously used to administer laxative to my girlfriends cat, for this purpose. I lead a charmed life.

Ahhhhhhh Yaaaaaa I think I will just leave this one alone. So many places I could go with this

jpaturzo wrote: ...which I previously used to administer laxative to my girlfriends cat, for this purpose.

Hairballs; what happens when a cat fails internally and blocks the exhaust.

...and now back to our regularly scheduled thread.

Your local machine shop should pressure test the heads for about 25 or 30 bucks. Maybe you could work out a volume discount.

You'll make the money back and more because you can advertise your heads as passing a pressure test. Potential buyers will know the head isn't cracked either, a potentially larger problem than leaky valves.

The NAPA near me gets $15 per cylinder.

Dan

Hmmm.........

Looks like I would be in about $60-75 per head with the head and the pressure testing.

The work firewall won't let me get to ebay so I'll have to research what sells later this afternoon.

Any suggestions? I was thinking BMW, Porsche, etc. I figure the cylinder heads should sell for more that run of the mill Ford, Chevy, etc. heads.

I had a buddy who had multiple head failures on Corrados. Id figure anything with a iron block and alloy heads

jwdmotorsports wrote: Hmmm......... Looks like I would be in about $60-75 per head with the head and the pressure testing.

I don't know what to tell you other than it cost me 30 bucks to test a Nissan core with bent exhaust valves two months ago. I took it to an independent parts store I do business with. They have a machine shop in the back. They turn all my rotors and ended up rebuilding that head for a good price. The shop also knows I call three or four other places and get quotes.

Shops are more prone to give discounts with repeat customers. If you come back again and again or show up with five heads at a time, ask for a break. Or bid the job out. Shop around. I don't see anyone refusing business in this economy.