Work Regarding Cylinder Head

[Laresi Lucentia]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. Been a member for a short while, picking up information as I needed it...But now I have to put a question of my own in.
I am working on the cylinder head on my 2002 P5. So far I've managed to pull it out, but I am not sure what to do now. Should I have it sent to a machine shop to get it checked and resurfaced? If I do that, how do I decide what shop to send it to, what questions should I ask, etc...
Or should I just look around for a refurbished head? If I go that route, are there any specific places to look?
Okay, so maybe I had a few questions. Sorry if the answers I'm looking for are already here, I've just been looking and I can't find them.
I know that I have to at least get the head examined for cracks and warpage, as well as the cylinder bores and gasket seat on the bottom end, etc...
Thanks guys...
Oh, and I'm located in the High Desert of Southern California, over by Apple Valley and what not.

 

[ap123]

Just curious what happened to the engine?

You can never go wrong by sending the head to a good machine shop. check online for a local machine shop. Its also a good idea to ask mechanics in your area what shop they use. Chances are the majority of mechanics in your area use the same shop.

Always ask about how much you're looking to spend before leaving anything.
It recommended to get head cleaned(hot tanked or blasted), inspected, magna fluxed and/or pressure test, milled, valve seats grind and valves grind.
You can always choose what services you want done or not.

 

[rj1784]

+1 for what happen to the engine.

It's hard to answer questions about what you should do with it when we don't know what happened.

 

[Laresi Lucentia]

Well, I've always had problems with the car running hot since I bought it. Recently though the gauge was pegged going up the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County. I pulled over to the side of the road and let it cool, then drove it a little further up to a safer spot to have it towed back home to Lucerne Valley. After then, I started having problems getting it to start. I think it was the drive up the pass that got me. My mum's boyfriend (who has a nice background in mechanic work and owns the workshop I've been working in) insisted that I try "Bar's Leak" stop leak. It seemed to work well enough. The radiator reservoir was bubbling but I thought nothing of it. The car worked well enough for this tiny desert community, until one night. The temp gauge was acting fine, and as soon as it started moving I stopped the car, but just being in Park the gauge went all the way up and the car died. I couldn't get it started after that. Had to have it towed back home again, and I couldn't get it to start after that. I pulled the plugs to see what I could, and I noticed there was water and oil in the chamber. I was ready to have it scrapped but somebody convinced me to pull the head off to see what could be done, if at least for educational value
So here I am now, with the head off, trying to figure out what to do now.
Sorry, this is probably a lot more information than expected, but I think the more the merrier, no?

 

[rj1784]

If the head is not cracked or warped you probably just blew the head gasket. Did you inspect the gasket? Sometimes you can see areas where the gasket failed. I would just have it inspected for leaks and then reinstall it with new gaskets.

 

[citykids]

You can never go wrong by sending the head to a good machine shop. check online for a local machine shop. Its also a good idea to ask mechanics in your area what shop they use. Chances are the majority of mechanics in your area use the same shop.

Not to jack the thread, but quick question AP, what shop do you take your car to up there in VA? There's a garage at Landmark shopping center (used to be a Goodyear place), the mechanics there were the only guys I trusted not to rip me off!

 

[Zixxer636]

Same thing happened to me, overheated while getting my Xmas tree and then started having starting problems, thought it was fuel or ignition...nope it was bad head or gasket letting coolant into two cylinders. After car was started it ran great but getting it started off of two cylinders didn't work so good.

 

[ap123]

Not to jack the thread, but quick question AP, what shop do you take your car to up there in VA? There's a garage at Landmark shopping center (used to be a Goodyear place), the mechanics there were the only guys I trusted not to rip me off!

I live on the boarder of Herndon and Sterling so i have no clue about shops in Alexandria.

I do almost everything myself on my parents drive way or in the garage. I have tools and I don't truest people messing with my car. For things like tires or if i need a lift I used to be a ticket writer at a shop, the owner still lets me use the equipment after hours. -Its a great shop by the way, but in sterling. PM if you want more info

The things i can't to on my own these are the places i go to locally:
For machine work i take everything Tysons Machine in sterling VA.
For alinements I take it for P-Tuning in manassas -only place that ever done it right. I took it to a collision shop that was suppose to be good and they did a horrible job. took it to the local firestone and they refused to touch it as soon as i told them i had coil overs... its not even low or anything!
I got my BOV flange welded at Hard Core Customs in sterling VA, they have a really good fabricator there.

I like to think i know my way around this car very well so if you need anything

 

[lowlevel]

Well, I've always had problems with the car running hot since I bought it. Recently though the gauge was pegged going up the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County. I pulled over to the side of the road and let it cool, then drove it a little further up to a safer spot to have it towed back home to Lucerne Valley. After then, I started having problems getting it to start. I think it was the drive up the pass that got me. My mum's boyfriend (who has a nice background in mechanic work and owns the workshop I've been working in) insisted that I try "Bar's Leak" stop leak. It seemed to work well enough. The radiator reservoir was bubbling but I thought nothing of it. The car worked well enough for this tiny desert community, until one night. The temp gauge was acting fine, and as soon as it started moving I stopped the car, but just being in Park the gauge went all the way up and the car died. I couldn't get it started after that. Had to have it towed back home again, and I couldn't get it to start after that. I pulled the plugs to see what I could, and I noticed there was water and oil in the chamber. I was ready to have it scrapped but somebody convinced me to pull the head off to see what could be done, if at least for educational value
So here I am now, with the head off, trying to figure out what to do now.

I had a similar situation with a blocked radiator in a different car... it'd be fine while driving, and as soon as I stopped, it would quickly overheat.
The bubbling in the reservoir is your coolant boiling out of the rad...

If I were in your shoes, I'de probably pull the engine and just find a low mileage one from a wrecker... sounds like yours won't be worth fixing.
You probably need a new rad, but make sure the cooling system works right (fans come on/etc.) once it's all back together...

Good luck... whether you fix it or or part it out.