Question About Machining Parts

"Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen" (sportwagen)
05/03/2015 at 00:01 • Filed to: None

How much does it cost to work over parts such as cylinder heads? I’m looking into getting a set of GT40 or GT40P cylinder heads and to get the best results they need to be ported and given a 3 angle valve job...

how much does something like this usually cost?

DISCUSSION (21)

tromoly > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 00:41

Took a Google search to realize they’re heads for a 5.0 and not an actual GT40....

I have no idea on the cost, find a decent engine builder in your area, talk to racers at local tracks and see whom they recommend and go from there.

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 00:43

Depends on how the shop goes about it. Reputation is so much more important. I’ve gotten a few basic valve jobs done on bare heads for $100 total, but I trust my machinist to do a decent job. Three angle shouldn’t be much more, maybe $25 to $40 more per head. But from my experience, the machinists and mechanics that charge the middle rate are most of the best. The cheap guys usually try and get away with the least amount without a negative yelp review; the most expensive guys are either much more busy with their top dollar (5-figure $) work and rush your job/pass it to an inexperienced person. Just my experience.

Edit: Try and package as much machine work in one go as you can. Do the valves need a back cut? Do you need the mating surfaces planed? Are the seats okay?

Also, the three angle can get you 10-20 extra CFM total, which isn’t too shabby. But are the springs and carb/injector set for that higher number? Always remember that it’s a system.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > tromoly
05/03/2015 at 00:45

Good idea... lol why would I be getting heads for a GT40? These are off a late model Explorer haha

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 00:45

So probably around $250 total?

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 00:57

Somewhere between $200 and $250 after shop fees and bench fees and such. This is, of course, in my area where there are 4 engine/machining guys within a few blocks of each other. Yours might be different/less competitive.

tromoly > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 01:03

Admittedly my knowledge of 5.0’s is lacking, so when I saw “GT40” in the post naturally my thoughts went to the car, hence the Google search to find out what’s actually being talked about.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 01:05

Hm, would this include springs too?

If so I could get away with a nearly brand new set of performance heads for $300-350...

If not, add $100 to that number

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > tromoly
05/03/2015 at 01:06

Ah, I see :)

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 01:18

If by include springs you mean do they charge extra if you bring them springs? Mine didn’t when I brought new retainers to put on the springs. But that I think depends on the machinist and their ethic. They have to take the springs out anyway to get the valves out. There’s next to no extra work besides opening the packaging, making sure to not put the old springs back in, and make sure the spring allows the valve to travel. Although, some might try to up the shop/bench fee for the extra time/number of jobs. Some might just flat out charge.

Also, have you found this site yet?

http://www.fiveohinfo.com/performance/gt…

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 01:23

Yeah, I did... I’m thinking GT40s because then there are no special headers needed

Although they are harder to find :(

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 01:50

Just don’t let the build budget get away from you.

Remember you still need: head bolts and gasket set at minimum. If you’re swapping heads, that means new push rods, also.

What is your budget?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 04:44

Basic machine work and cleaning on simple 2 valve per cylinder V8 heads from a very good shop where I am runs ~$400 per pair. A performance build can easily exceed $1000. These are generalizations based on my experience using and getting quotes from a bunch of different shops. But when I’ve lived in rural areas I used to get the same kind of work done for closer to $100.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 09:47

Why new pushrods? I don’t really have a set budget yet...

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/03/2015 at 09:49

Huh, thats interesting... I live in a town of 2k but I’m 10 miles away from a city of 400k.

Rural or not?

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 10:59

I’m assuming these heads you’re getting have the valve train; the rockers that come with will be different and the deck height will probably be different. This stuff varies by the tenths of an inch. Too loose and you’ll ruin the ruin the pushrod/rocker/lifter. Too tight and you have a chance of busting the rod or the rocker.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 11:03

Hmm, that is interesting. Maybe somewhere in the middle for price? Probably on the higher side though.

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 11:11

Also. Layout a plan and a budget, stat. My first engine rebuild was kinda like yours: just wanted to put the engine back together on my ‘69 302 and get it going. The problem is, every problem I wanted to glaze over was a chance of ruining other parts. After bearings, rings, bolts, block cleaning, head cleaning, seats, valve job, pushrods and lifters, I was in for just over a grand. Your engine is newer and hopefully doesn’t need all that bottom end, but this is more an example of just how far does the rabbit hole go?

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 14:48

Factory parts... all of them (except springs)

The issue is that my grandfather says he is going to give the stock E7TEs a “Valve Job” himself (is this possible without machining them?) but knowing the way he does things I’ll be lucky to have the car running by the time I graduate COLLEGE (in 4 years)

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 15:48

Better yet, LKQ sells heads for $38 each (including core charge) so I could get a set of GT40s off a 1996 Explorer for $84 including tax

Alex’s Parts sells a set of springs for GT40 heads for $97.50 that work with the stock cam...

A set of good GT40 heads for $180? Yes please! (Yes, I need head gaskets, but those are cheap. I can also get a set of ARP head bolts from my neighbor for SUPER cheap)

I’ll also plan on getting the intake (Upper and lower for $35? YES PLEASE!) and maybe the 70mm throttle body

StoneCold > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen
05/03/2015 at 18:27

Add on another $100 to hot tank those heads, since I guarantee from the yard they’ll be covered in crud. What year is the base engine you have right now? (And have we talked about this engine before a few months ago? I’m having deja vu)

But hey, one of my favorite quotes:
Plans are useless; planning is indispensable.
Good just to keep the over all picture in mind.

I like those springs, pricey, but matched to a stock cam. And that is a great deal on an intake.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > StoneCold
05/03/2015 at 19:39

It’s a 1989 5.0 HO

These are pricey? The Comp Cams set is $160 and the Trick Flow set is $150!