Head Rebuild Cost? (1 Viewer)

[Wompom]

So I finally ordered all my parts to rebuild my motor last night. I called a local machine shop my buddy uses and they said "oh yeah we do lots of 1fz's. Have 3 in the shop right now!"

Feeling like they might actually know what they're doing, i asked what they usually charge for a head rebuild/mill. According to him the one they just finished turned out to be ~$800, not including shims (provided by the mechanic who was doing to work).
This seems incredibly high compared to what i've seen around 'Mud.

What have you guys paid to have your heads rebuilt?

(I'm in Seattle if anyone has a good recommendation of a shop here. Posted in the clubhouse for up here to see as well.)

 

[Red Merle]

$604 which included planing the head, valve job, installing new valve seals, cleaning, pressure testing and even a paint job.

Very pleased with the work. Paul has an older gent working for him that really knows his stuff. I did give them a copy of the FSM pages and he said he did use them as a reference to be sure the info they had matched the factory specs when he adjusted the lash.

Engine Repair Duluth MN (Minnesota) - Midwest Engine Machine LLC

 

[Wompom]

$604 which included planing the head, valve job, installing new valve seals, cleaning, pressure testing and even a paint job.

Very pleased with the work. Paul has an older gent working for him that really knows his stuff. I did give them a copy of the FSM pages and he said he did use them as a reference to be sure the info they had matched the factory specs when he adjusted the lash.

Engine Repair Duluth MN (Minnesota) - Midwest Engine Machine LLC

That seems more reasonable. It seems like everything here is just an instant increase of 30% cost no matter what, just for being in Seattle!

 

[Tools R Us]

Depending on what is needed, ~$500-600.

 

[1MOA]

That seems more reasonable. It seems like everything here is just an instant increase of 30% cost no matter what, just for being in Seattle!

I thought that was just if any of the work had the characters F,J,4 or 0 in them

 

[Red Merle]

That seems more reasonable. It seems like everything here is just an instant increase of 30% cost no matter what, just for being in Seattle!

If they do good work and you don't have any issues, that $200 seems like a fart in the wind to me when you consider how much effort it would take to go back in on your own if there was an issue. I don't know how much your time is worth, but my head gasket project probably took me 50 hours, start to finish(I spent a lot of time polishing every bolt, part and doodad that I took off and put back on and I didn't really know what I was doing when I started.) The thought of doing it all over again would make me barf if it was because I cheaped out and went with a shop that botched something with the head job.

 

[Ed Camenzind]

I just got mine done for $540, but had estimates for over $900. The shop that did mine said everything was serviceable so the only thing that was actually replaced was the valve seals I gave him. It could have easily gone higher if more parts were needed. I guess I got lucky.

 

[Wompom]

Just got another quote.

$973 pre tax for:

• valve grind
• replace valve seals (provided by me)
• inspect guides
• machine mating surface
• pressure test

Woof. Maybe i just expected it to be less for no good reason. I doubt that includes any of the shims that may or may not be needed.

 

[Red Merle]

Just got another quote.

$973 pre tax for:

• valve grind
• replace valve seals (provided by me)
• inspect guides
• machine mating surface
• pressure test

Woof. Maybe i just expected it to be less for no good reason. I doubt that includes any of the shims that may or may not be needed.

Seattle is an expensive place to live. The guys at the first shop gotta eat too...

Nobody wants to pay more than what they have to, but if they know what they are doing and will take the time of day to listen to you and provide good advice and do what they say they are going to do in a high quality fashion, I wouldn't lose any sleep over the bump in price over what my shop in a cheap place to live did mine for.

Hell, half the reason I moved up here was because it's sooo much cheaper to live here than it is even a few hundred miles south of me and nobody down there has anywhere close to the access to awesome outdoor activities like we do. As long as you don't mind 5 months of winter, the Twin Ports are where it's at.

 

[Wompom]

Seattle is an expensive place to live. The guys at the first shop gotta eat too...

Nobody wants to pay more than what they have to, but if they know what they are doing and will take the time of day to listen to you and provide good advice and do what they say they are going to do in a high quality fashion, I wouldn't lose any sleep over the bump in price over what my shop in a cheap place to live did mine for.

Hell, half the reason I moved up here was because it's sooo much cheaper to live here than it is even a few hundred miles south of me and nobody down there has anywhere close to the access to awesome outdoor activities like we do. As long as you don't mind 5 months of winter, the Twin Ports are where it's at.

Oh i get that. I used to live in MT and if it there was more job opportunity i'd never have left! Sounds like I just miscalculated what to expect.

 

[Red Merle]

Oh i get that. I used to live in MT and if it there was more job opportunity i'd never have left! Sounds like I just miscalculated what to expect.

Montana is sweet too(so is Washington, actually. I flew out there last summer with my ex and we rented a car and drove from Seattle all the way around the Olympic Peninsula and then on down to the redwoods in Northern CA along the coast)! The key is to find a nice government job that pays more for one salary than what the median household income is for the area.

As for the cost, just suck it up and bust out the credit card if you need to. That's what I did and I don't regret it for a second. Pay that sucker off over the course of a year and smile every time you fire up your sweet 80! It's only money...

 

[offr0adlim0]

Seems like a decent number if they do quality work. $750 is about the average of the 20 or so I’ve done over the years. If they reshim the valves correct it will make the 1fze freakishly quiet. The last couple you couldn’t tell where running

 

[TheAmerican]

Seattle area huh. I used Heads Up down in Auburn. They know toyota and imports very well. They've always given me 100%

 

[1973Guppie]

this is not an area to go to the cheapest place, find the best and pay the higher amount period, a couple hundred bucks is nothing for the amount of work you are doing to get the job done right.....

 

[Mighty690]

Even here in San Diego, I think I paid like $300 from highly recommended machine shop (that could identify the head as I carried it in the door). "Land Crusher" they called out. But I only had my head hot tanked, tested, stem seals installed, and surfaced. On the last one I had the valves lapped for good measure; that cost a few extra bucks. I checked my valve clearances before I brought it in (they were all within spec) and had carefully labeled and stored my shims. Checked 'em again once I had the cams back on just to be sure.
It depends on why you're bring the head in the first place. If it is a simple leaking HG, some might be doing more than necessary. I think my whole HG job on that rig was well under $1K for everything, and that's all OEM parts. The engine I'm referring to here has done another 50,000 miles of solid duty since then and is in amazing shape. Good power, good mileage (for what it is), and doesn't burn or leak oil. My $0.02

 

[AJP]

Just got another quote.

$973 pre tax for:

• valve grind
• replace valve seals (provided by me)
• inspect guides
• machine mating surface
• pressure test

Woof. Maybe i just expected it to be less for no good reason. I doubt that includes any of the shims that may or may not be needed.

. That seems steep .... and there is the possibility with a shop that ‘saw you coming’ that there may be a few valve guides and valves to be replaced which may be ‘discovered’ later when the head is apart. Also as a reminder the FSM says not to machine the head and if it is not flat it is to be discarded. Having said that it has been done (including mine) with no apparent ill effects assuming a very light ‘touch’ .... but if too much is taken off it will have adverse effects on your camshafts when the head is torqued down. All to say - ensure your chosen machine shop is reputable and experienced .... and not (as click and clack say) getting ready to make a boat payment.

 

[1973Guppie]

Even here in San Diego, I think I paid like $300 from highly recommended machine shop (that could identify the head as I carried it in the door). "Land Crusher" they called out. But I only had my head hot tanked, tested, stem seals installed, and surfaced. On the last one I had the valves lapped for good measure; that cost a few extra bucks. I checked my valve clearances before I brought it in (they were all within spec) and had carefully labeled and stored my shims. Checked 'em again once I had the cams back on just to be sure.
It depends on why you're bring the head in the first place. If it is a simple leaking HG, some might be doing more than necessary. I think my whole HG job on that rig was well under $1K for everything, and that's all OEM parts. The engine I'm referring to here has done another 50,000 miles of solid duty since then and is in amazing shape. Good power, good mileage (for what it is), and doesn't burn or leak oil. My $0.02

kenyon machine?

 

[pgmatt]

Machine shop costs will always be all over the map depending on location. Most have a hourly rate they charge plus flat costs for some work such as honing/boring per cylinder etc. I’m willing to wager the costs follow pretty closely the local economy and labor rates there. Focus on finding a reputable shop that produces good quality work.

 

[Mighty690]

kenyon machine?

H.D.S. Auto Parts & Machine, Escondido

 

[OTRAMM]

The shop I use is 130 to hot tank, pressure test, vacuum check the valves, and deck the head. 40 Extra to swap the seals (I usually do them myself). Of all the heads I've sent him he's only recommended a valve job once. That one was around 350 out the door. Machine work must be way cheaper here in VA.