K17SSE

Hi All

I am in the unfortunate position of having my head gasket failing!!!

I have been old my head is fine but the valve guides and valves are worn and need replacing.

Getting advice else where they say the valve are tough cookies and will be fine.

So do i just get the head re skimmed and the valves cleaned up and get a port and polish?

Or bite the bullet and get new valves etc???

Have spoken to cylinder head developments in Warickshire and he also advices to fit new bronze valve guides, polish and port and a set of bd10 cams this will see a sizable increase, BUT spoke to GGR an they said dont bother !!

Has anyone got any recomendations for head work and what would be best.

I dont want massive powerdue tio wanting to keep the standard EECIV eCU

Cheers

PaulCR

tabetha

I would do the valves, CHD know a bit more about the heads than GGR.
It is however hard to say without seeing them, but exhaust valve wear and guide wear is standard on cossies.
The valves can be refaced but get quite thin around the edges so will blow eventually but with the practice you will then have had doing the headgsket you can do another then to rectify, hoping that it causes no further damage!!
Simply opening the ports out helps a lot on these heads, CHD are a decent firm, and charlie knows his stuff.
If it was me because of the hassle I would have the lot done, but it is your money.
tabetha

cossymad

I done BD10's on mine and saw an exact 16bhp increase.
The car felt so much stronger mid range, but gained an annoying flat spot on launching hard. It seemed the extra air freaked it out.
If the guides need replacing, then you have to bite the bullet, if they don't then don't bother.
On my orange one I had no change from £1500 for the headwork, cams, chromium guides (better than bronze ones) etc etc. If you're gonna do it, do it once, do it right.

sailorbob

Whether the valves and guides need replacing is only something you can decide when everything's apart and it can be measured.

If you do get the valve guides done, don't accept pure bronze for them as it wears very quickly.