> Question #2: > I am paranoid about the dropped valve seat problem. How prevalent is it? > What is the experience out there with rebuilt heads? Do I have 'em rebuilt > locally by any shop that says they do VW heads? (Does anybody have experience > with any shops in the Sacramento, CA area?) Or should I send them down to > Mark Stephens because he guarantees "No More Dropped Seats" and pay the > shipping charges AND much higher prices (twice as much)? Here's the bill from my local shop. Original quote was $89 a head. They didn't have rebuildable 1800 heads in stock and made me wait a couple of weeks until they finally suggested I use 2 liter heads instead. Since I don't race my bus too much, I agreed to go with that, even though 2 liter heads have smaller valves. HEADS Rebuild 2.0 heads 89.00 X 2 = $178.00 Exhaust studs repair 12.00 x 2 = $ 24.00 New intake valves (4) <because I asked for them!> flycut (1 pair) 29.00 x 1 = $ 29.00 weld to seat 20.00 x 2 = $ 40.00 seats (2) 11.95 x 1 = $ 11.95 bad core (1) <really just a tiny crack> 75.00 x 1 = $ 75.00 ---------- (total) $357.95 I estimate that Mark Stephens would have charged me $169 x 2 + $35 = $373. The $35 would have been for welding up the cracked head, a job the local guy apparently lacks the skill for. Add shipping to that (maybe $30 round-trip?). Next time, Stephens gets my business. -- Sami ('75 Westf.) dakhlia@wuecona.wustl.edu http://wuecon.wustl.edu/~samid/
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