As you know, I've had the 97 sitting in the garage headless. I went ballistic over the weekend and lost it. The head has been sitting at the race shop virtually untouched for 10 days as of this morning. Ten freakin days!!!
Over the weekend, a buddy who owns a big shop in town returned from a trip and I asked him what to do. He said "Get your head out of that shop and bring it to this shop in Spokane, WA". So at 7:59 this morning I walked into the race shop, found the head in 30 seconds and walked back out. Total elapsed time less than 45 seconds. Went back in and left a note on the owner's desk asking him to send me a bill for his cleaning and diagnosis, then followed up with a voice mail to him.
At 8:30 I dropped it at a huge shop that does nothing but cylinder heads in Spokane, about an hour's drive across the border. They took a look at it and reckon it can be welded and they will contract with a highly specialized welder who's reputed to be the best in the NW. Then they'll get it back from him, do a complete head service, valve job, resurface, pressure test and call me to come get it. While I was talking to the owner, several heads were dropped off and the counter guy would look at the clock, and say "OK sir, we'll have that ready at about 11 o'clock today". By the time I left, another 10 heads had been dropped off and the times were up to 2:30. This is a big freakin shop, and their professionalism impressed me. All they do is cylinder heads, thus their name "Cylinder Head Service." That's it.
So, another course change on what has easily become the most troublesome mechanical repair of my life. It was somewhat mean spirited for me to just grab my head and leave, but honestly I can accept that since I gave them the benefit of the doubt and got nothing in return. The parts they've been waiting for may well come in today, but I've seen enough to know that my head was not in good hands. Clearly, it is now and I'll be sleeping well tonight. Gonna cost me 50% more, but that also adds the complete valve job including valve grind and shims so I can live with it.
What a clustermuck this has become.
DougM
Over the weekend, a buddy who owns a big shop in town returned from a trip and I asked him what to do. He said "Get your head out of that shop and bring it to this shop in Spokane, WA". So at 7:59 this morning I walked into the race shop, found the head in 30 seconds and walked back out. Total elapsed time less than 45 seconds. Went back in and left a note on the owner's desk asking him to send me a bill for his cleaning and diagnosis, then followed up with a voice mail to him.
At 8:30 I dropped it at a huge shop that does nothing but cylinder heads in Spokane, about an hour's drive across the border. They took a look at it and reckon it can be welded and they will contract with a highly specialized welder who's reputed to be the best in the NW. Then they'll get it back from him, do a complete head service, valve job, resurface, pressure test and call me to come get it. While I was talking to the owner, several heads were dropped off and the counter guy would look at the clock, and say "OK sir, we'll have that ready at about 11 o'clock today". By the time I left, another 10 heads had been dropped off and the times were up to 2:30. This is a big freakin shop, and their professionalism impressed me. All they do is cylinder heads, thus their name "Cylinder Head Service." That's it.
So, another course change on what has easily become the most troublesome mechanical repair of my life. It was somewhat mean spirited for me to just grab my head and leave, but honestly I can accept that since I gave them the benefit of the doubt and got nothing in return. The parts they've been waiting for may well come in today, but I've seen enough to know that my head was not in good hands. Clearly, it is now and I'll be sleeping well tonight. Gonna cost me 50% more, but that also adds the complete valve job including valve grind and shims so I can live with it.
What a clustermuck this has become.
DougM