Not Needed (hopefully): Over-priced Machine Shop with experience resurfacing 2F intake/exhaust manifolds

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Rusto

Rusto

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Well, here I am.... locked down in SW CO with the need to have my exhaust manifold resurfaced. Called a few places in Farmington, NM and I can get it done there, but I can't drive down there now and interact with people in person (or shouldn't, anyway). Plus nobody really knocked my socks off in terms of experience with these manifolds.

So, I'd rather send it off and pay the shipping back and forth and have it done correctly.

Any suggestions? I'm sure some friendly cruiser machinists could use the work right now, and I'd love to know it's getting done correctly.

(complete project edit, after job is done).

You CAN resurface manifolds at home.

Make sure you have the right tools - machinist straight edge, various extensions, elbows, and deep well sockets (14 and 17), an "antenna magnet" for fishing out the invariably dropped nuts and bolts, proper torque wrenches, a very flat surface for the resurfacing ( I used a big piece of aquarium glass), use PB Blaster and copper anti-seize liberally, don't be afraid to apply some heat when needed and don't reuse any gaskets.
 
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If you don't mind shipping it to California, there's a shop here that has done a lot of these.
Bob's Automotive Machine Shop
La Crescenta CA

Call them (Google their ph #)
Guys ship entire 2F engines to them across the country to get rebuilt.
They did my manifold. It came back perfectly flat.
 
There is kind of a process to get the manifolds flat and together.
1. loosely bolt intake and exhaust together (with new gasket)
2. With no gasket snug up intake and exhaust to head
3. now tighten intake and exhaust manifolds together with proper torque
4. take assembly off head, flip over on a bench and with a good file start to work the high places. Keep at it it’s just cast iron and aluminum it will be flat in short order, with a good straight edge.

anyone can do this give it a try

I’ve done at least 6 this way. No problems ever
i was a toolmaker in a past life
 
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@F226continental that's interesting, man. My exhaust leak started after I had my head removed, rebuilt and replaced by a shop. It's under warranty, but due to my expensive lesson learned, I don't want anything to do with that shop. They already screwed up an easy thing (not replacing the gasket inside the thermostat housing, causing there to be no functioning thermostat and my engine would never get up to normal operating temp) and a few others corners cut. I called them about that gasket to ask if it was covered and they said, "well, if it's our fault then sure, we'll cover it, but we won't know until we're in there." So I fixed that myself for $20 and a half-hour of work.

So I assume that they would say the exhaust leak isn't covered either... Anyway. I'm done with them and all other mechanics if I can help it. #nomoremechanics (no offense to the honest, reputable and knowledgeable ones that may be reading this, of course).

I just assumed the manifold was warped due to getting hot and running it too long on 2 burnt valves, but maybe not. I tried retorquing the bolts and it didn't fix the issue, but it's very possible that the mechanic didn't follow your process, took apart the manifolds separately instead of as one piece and just threw up back on there any which a way.

I guess what I should do is get new gaskets, take off the manifolds, check for any obvious warpage, and then follow your process to line everything up properly.
Then, and only then, should I consider sending them off to get resurfaced..

Feedback on this thought process?
 
Nothing worse than a****** mechanics/machinists screwing people.
playing devils advocate though, my experience is that lots of them were never taught how to do things correctly at all. And lots just don’t care.

Your logic seems good to tackle the problem. just get you a long sharp flat file and it will get the job done. If you have a 36” belt sander that will work also. Just make sure to follow the steps above, if you don’t you’ll have an obscene amount of metal To remove.

no magic bullet here, when you send it Off to a good shop they will do the same thing just on a horizontal belt sander.

this fix works on more than old Toyota’s
 
Good stuff @F226continental. Re: this mechanic. I've had runs of good luck with mechanics in the past, then they get too busy or don't care as much for some reason or they have so much work they don't know what to do with it and the quality of the work declines. Then I switch and the same thing. This one was highly recommended, but I just think they didn't take the time to do it right for whatever reason. Obvious signs of them being in a rush throughout. Stuff checked on their "60 point inspection" that clearly wasn't done and other little things that someone that didn't know anything would have missed. Plus some fairly decent things missed as well. The only thing good about the work done was the head rebuild, which they sent out! It's a small town. I should probably talk to the owner, or a manager. They may not even know this is going on. I doubt it was malicious, but the result is the same. Anyway.. enough about that.

I do have time on my side, so I'll order the gaskets, tear it down and see what I have to work with. And if I feel like it's beyond me.. I can always send out to Yota1... thanks @lcolon that looks like a place that will get it right, that's for sure. Can I afford it? Well, that's a conversation for another day.

Thanks again. I feel better about tackling this and now I have some different routes to take if need be. More to come... hopefully sooner, rather than later.

Russ
 
Order Toyota gaskets, there is a difference in quality
soak the bolts holding manifolds together in pb blast or whatever for a few days before attempting removal. Might save a broken bolt
 
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If it's the original manifold assembly that's never been rebuilt, it's warped to some degree. They all are.
 
@OSS I want to give your comment a "thumbs down" but I know you are probably right. There was sub-par head work done by a PO, so I'm hoping that the manifold surface was evaluated at that point, but hope is not a strategy. I'll be PB blasting everything over the next couple of days to prep, then on Friday probably start the breakdown. Since the head was recently removed, I don't think the bolts will be an issue, but much better to be safe than sorry in this instance.
 
OSS said:
If you don't mind shipping it to California, there's a shop here that has done a lot of these.
Bob's Automotive Machine Shop
La Crescenta CA

Call them (Google their ph #)
Guys ship entire 2F engines to them across the country to get rebuilt.
They did my manifold. It came back perfectly flat.
Click to expand...
Just a heads up @OSS. I called Bob's and apparently it's under new ownership and they are no longer doing manifolds, only cylinder heads.
 
Wow-
Yeah Bob (yes there was a real Bob) was an older guy. I guess he retired or something. He was the driving force behind that shop- The Guy.
I won't be recommending that shop any more. Maybe the new guys working there know what they're doing - but I have no idea.
 
Any machine shop is going to “surface” your manifolds the same way, they just set them down on a giant belt sander for 15 seconds. Doesn’t really matter who does it
 
cruisermatt said:
Any machine shop is going to “surface” your manifolds the same way, they just set them down on a giant belt sander for 15 seconds. Doesn’t really matter who does it
Click to expand...
True.. Key for me is finding a giant belt sander...
 
You give up on the file method?
it goes a lot faster than you are thinking, I can Cut an 1/8” off the assembly in an hour.
 
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@Rusto, there's a shop in the Denver area called Spitfire Engine & Performance that has experience with them, but he quoted me $300 for the job. Not sure what your budget is, but I'm probably going to do the quick and dirty file method @F226continental is talking about, honestly.
 
Wow $300 for less than 5 min work with a proper size belt sander!!
When I had access to a belt sander at work I felt bad charging folks more than $75.
now I do it for $150 with my trusty file. The local toyota dealer Still sends me 2 or 3 a year.
 
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