Blew head gasket

[dragway]

Blew head gasket last Saturday pulled motor took heads off now looking for a place to due machine work . Live in Massachusetts I know about cottons but is there any other places as well ? I have a machine right near me Reid's automotive they built my big block ran great anyone else ever have a buick engine do there ?

 

[earlbrown]

What machining operations are you needing. If it's just a head shave you'd be safe at pretty much any shop that doesn't use a belt sander.

 

[HUMBLE-U2]

18pack & belt sander and iam good to go. bring them heads to me and an 18pack and some dead animal to throw on the grill.

 

[Pronto]

They were probably going for a while. That would explain your low mph at the track. The gold standard is RPE in CT. Are you doing a full rebuild or just the heads? I've seen Reid's website and they seem pretty competent but many have had unsatisfactory results with shops that are not Buick guys.

 

[Heisenberg]

You know - that title line reminds me of something.

There's gotta be a better way to say that!

 

[Grumpy]

Reids can handle that easily !!

 

[Pronto]

Dan, Have you used them?

 

[dragway]

I was going to just freshen up while out new bearings and rings and upgrade cam

 

[Pronto]

Maybe you should do alittle porting on the heads if you're going with new cam. Staying flat tappet?

 

[DOUGGN]

They were probably going for a while. That would explain your low mph at the track. The gold standard is RPE in CT. Are you doing a full rebuild or just the heads? I've seen Reid's website and they seem pretty competent but many have had unsatisfactory results with shops that are not Buick guys.

what was it running in the quarter?

 

[dragway]

Yes staying with flat tappet poss 206/206. It was only running a best 13.1 @103 on street tires with 1.9 60 ft . Who would you recommend for porting heads ?

 

[earlbrown]

Any machine shop with a bowl hog. Don't worry about having a million dollar porting job. At least 85% of a maxxxed out port job can be had just by opening up the bowls. Plus having a turbo takes a lot of head flow gains out of the equation.

Make sure to back cut the ex valves if you're going to stay with stockers. Getting rid of that ski jump will make a big difference too.

 

[Pronto]

If you're familiar with Reids then talk to them.

 

[Grumpy]

I know some guys that used them.

 

[dragway]

I went to Reid's today and got some prices and see how many 3.8 they built Jim sr told me that he has done many of them and he also did several engines for Cotton's . He gave me a price of $2800 total rebuild and some porting on the heads as long as no major concerns .

 

[Pronto]

Interesting. Good to know. That seems pretty reasonable for a what you need with porting thrown in.