Worlds most expensive head job.

[Alto Boy]

Hi guys.....after my last long winded bubbles in radiator thread, I now have had the most expensive head job.....all the bubbles / overheating and expansion tank dramas has lead to a complete f5a head rebuild.

So to remove the head, repair corrosion damage, acid bath, resurface, valve grind, clean rockers, polish rocker shafts and cam shaft, replace s&f welch plugs, vrs gasket set, reassemble and pressure test, plus new coolant and oil.

Grand Total $992

So, so far to rebuild my little Alto from the ground up.....only original part of the car is body........now spent $8000 for 1985 543cc.

Probably twice what it was new, but how do you put a price on the pleasure these little guys give you.

It's only money and you only live once.


Seeya..............Greg.

[Brayden]

DON'T DO IT!!!! Mate you'd be foolish not to upgrade to a rebuilt F8B for that price!

[Alto Boy]

TOO LATE.....Brayden, I dropped the car off on Monday and picked it up today, but I wasn't expecting them to do all this polishing stuff......I just said what ever needs doing, do it.

I was a bit freaked out when I got bill, I mean I could have bought a reco f8b for same money......but when you look at all my threads, every time I put this little monster in for repair, it costs me a fortune.

What's done is done......no more worries, I hope.

Seeya..................Greg.

[Colin]

bloody mechanics ....ya cant trust them

[Brayden]

Fingers crossed for you mate, but any mechanic that would do almost $1000 dollars worth of work without making a 40c phone call to confirm it first wouldn't be getting my business again!

[stevan_istheman]

Grand Total $992

That sux...
I got my F8B head rebuilt for $300 from suzisport stafford. I admit it's not built for extreme power but for almost $1000 i'd be expecting a turbo to be bolted to it!
Can i ask where you got it done, just so i can tell everyone i know not to go there.

[fritz]

So, so far to rebuild my little Alto from the ground up.....only original part of the car is body........now spent $8000 for 1985 543cc.

I know the feeling...
My most recent rebuild is costing a bomb.
- All for silly little bit that no-one will ever see, but hopefully she'll run like new.

Despite the fact that $1k is a lot for a head job, you'll feel good about knowing it was done properly.

I'm not so sure the mob I was thinking about getting to do my head are so good after they sand blasted the whole head including bearing journals. - At least I have'nt thrown any money at them yet.

[Brayden]

The F8B that SuziWorld rebuilt for me a few years ago ($1150 including supply of engine!) Has been faultless, and I certainly haven't treated it lightly.

It has been serviced every 5000km (or less in most cases) and has put up with the abuse of an oversized weber carb, regular excursions to 6.5k, and a turbo with no signs of deterioration.

[Alto Boy]

Fritz, Stevan, Brayden and Colin, I have been told it has to go back in 500k's to get the head and tappets adjusted......does that sound right ?

And now that it's been rebuilt, do I need to stay under a certain rev range during the running in stage ?

Any advice will be followed to the t, as I don't want to cause any damage.


Seeya.......Greg.

[Brayden]

It is good that they'll retorque the head and adjust the tappets, but I'd say 1000km is probably a better "bedding" time. Up to them though I guess.

I'd certainly hope they're not charging for that too!

I'd avoid flogging the motor for the first few hundred kms, but there's no need to baby it. Leaving the motor idling for any period of time is bad if the bottom end has been rebuilt.

[Colin]

unless you like bending over and being ass fucked go back to the place that did the job and ask them to justify the outragous price you paid if your not happy with that go to the department of fair trading and see what they can do a full head service gaskets and labour should cost between $450 and $700 max
most 4cyl jap cars i'm doing at the moment are around $800 to $900 alowing for 8 to 10 hours labour where as the MB you allow 5 hours

[Alto Boy]

Colin, as always thanx for your colourful suggestion......although I'm not happy spending that much on a head job, if I went back to everyone who has worked on this car and got up them for over charging, no one would want to touch this little money pit.

Firstly the guy I took it to, I've been doing business with for over 30 years and to date, the work done is always of the highest quality.....excluding the snapped crank bolt.

I'm sure whatever I've been charged for will be to replace everything that you can possibly replace.....the actual head went next door to my mechanic to an engineering mob who did the head shave, port and polish of my sons car.

i still have do the clutch yet.....throw out bearing has been whining for the last 2 years.....another expense I can hardly wait for.

As far as revs go, what would you suggest to be the max I rev out to and for how long ?


Seeya.......Greg.

[daronk18]

for that kind of money i hope they got on there knees and gave a proper head job too mate..

[Colin]

with out getting the bottom end ballanced dont try reving the ring out of it or you will probibly put a conrod through the block..pay about 5 grand for a botton end

[pony-tail]

bloody mechanics ....ya cant trust them

Not Nice !
I used to be a mechanic !
some you can - some you can't
It is usually the owners of the buisiness that you can't trust - GREED !!