If I had the money, I'd buy a stage 2 head from ACR.
It's higher compression, ported, polished and claims a
big increase in oomph. While I had the head off would
stick in a 2.5 or ACR Cam. The cam isn't that
expensive and simple to install with the head off.
An RN or Wise Owl head is a stock head with the
unleaded exhaust seats and valves. Won't help with
performance except to bring it back to stock
compression. Before I went that route, I'd check the
price for machining from a reputable local machinist.
They should be able to provide the parts and do all
the machining for $4-500. A lot less than the $1,000
figure you're throwing around. Whatever route you go,
be sure they use the external 'top hat' valve seals
and buy new single valve springs. The old dual inner
springs knock off the 'top hat' seals leaving you with
an oil burner.
Aloha
Peter O.
--- "Faure, Marin" <marin.faure@boeing.com> wrote:
>
> Assuming I'm facing the "time to change to an
> unleaded
> head" situation, I'm curious which would be the more
> efficient
> solution. Have the original head on my engine
> overhauled and
> refitted with hardened valve seats and the
> appropriate valves,
> or simply buying a ready-made, complete unleaded
> head from
> Rovers North, etc. I like the idea of a bolt-on
> solution, as
> opposed to running around hunting up a competent
> shop,
> collecting the necessary parts, etc. How common a
> procedure
> is this (the installation of hardened valve seats in
> a head with
> machined-in seats), and what sort of shops tend to
> do this
> kind of work?
>
> It appears a complete unleaded head (stock head,
> not some sort of semi-performance head) runs
> in the neighborhood of $1,000 by the time it's all
> said and done and shipped. Is having an existing
> head overhauled and set up for unleaded fuel that
> much less by the time it's over? I assume in
> addition
> to the parts and shop labor, it would be prudent to
> have
> the head magafluxed or zyglowed (or both) to make
> sure it's okay, and so on.
>
> I'm willing to pay more for a solution that I don't
> have
> to tinker with and worry about and re-fix or have
> re-fixed
> later, which is why I tend to lean toward the
> bolt-on unleaded
> head. But I'd be interested in hearing the
> advantages, if any,
> of having the existing head overhauled.
> ___________________________
> C. Marin Faure
> (original owner)
> 1973 Land Rover Series III-88
> 1991 Range Rover Vogue SE
> Seattle
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