1jz head, keep it or send it back.

[kelson]

Ok so here's the story. After finishing up my 1jz swap this fall I came to find out that during the swap I had accidentally warped my head. So then I had two choices get it resurfaced or find a new head. I found a 1jz head on Club lexus. The head was said to be a good 1jz head, valves oversized 1mm., brand new ferrea bronze valve guides already installed, machined to fit 2jz cams, bowls ported and also came with ferrea super alloy intake valves, stock springs retainers, shims...ect. he was asking $300 firm for everything which was a really good price considering the valves alone are worth that much. So I bought it($380 w/shipping & paypal). I had the seller sign papers basically saying he would give me a refund up to 3 days after arrival. today I got the head and was a little disappointed to find the mating surface of the head was not in as pristine condition as I thought it would be.

So I'm looking for someone to tell me if this looks like a problem or not. picture 1 is a strange gouge on the intake side of cylinder 6. it looks to me like maybe this was from somebody prying the head off the block.

the most concerning part of the head is a long scrape going down the middle of the head. this scrape connects each combustion chamber with the next.

picture 2: cylinder 1 to 2
picture 3: cylinder 2 to 3
picture 4: cylinder 3 to 4
picture 5: cylinder 4 to 5(worst part of scratch on right side)

the scratch isn't really deep but if I run my finger nail over it, my nail will get caught. I don't want my head to not seal properly. I don't think that this guy was trying to rip me off, and the valves are worth what I payed for the head, so I don't know. do you think it will be ok? should I keep the head even if I have to have it resurfaced? I'm just really second guessing myself and I need some advise.

 

[kelson]

this is a picture looking down the worst part of the scratch.

 

[lewis15498]

I'm no machinist but that surface is not acceptable. Unless he fully disclosed the condition of the surface including the scratches and that hideous gouge, I would want a refund and send it back at his expense. Hopefully someone who is a machinist can tell you more about what you can do with it, should you decide to keep it.

 

[kelson]

thats what I'm afraid of. anyone else. I need to make a decision soon

 

[IJ.]

The gouge in the first pic is cause for concern being so close to the water passage, even if it's surfaced that's still going to be there.

 

[kelson]

The gouge in the first pic is cause for concern being so close to the water passage, even if it's surfaced that's still going to be there.

isn't it possible to have that filled in? I saw that once on a video. there was a deep gouge in a land rover head and the guys at the machine shop like welded over it then resurfaced the head.

 

[thorpedo]

If you know a really good welder it can be welded, I have seen it done successfully. I've also seen people use JB weld believe it or not then have it re-machined, but not in a performance application. Since it is just near a water jacket and not a fire ring I'd personally clean out the hole really well, fill it with jb weld and then carefully file / sand flat with a sanding block and fine grit emery cloth and then have the head resurfaced.

The gouge nor the scratch between cylinders is acceptable though imo.

 

[Poodles]

I'd send it back, that gouge is a deal breaker.

Also, I thought you machined 2J cams to fit in 1J heads and not the other way around...

 

[Another MkIII]

If you have the money, talk to a machinist and see if they can fix the gouge. If the head can be saved, and you're willing to put the money into it, its still a good deal considering all it has done. But if you don't have the time/money to mess around with it, I would send it back.
-AM3

 

[Poodles]

Not necessarily. The head can be complete junk and you wouldn't know until it's fully looked over.

-Gouge
-Scratches
-Marks from HG in surface (more than likely meaning it's used or it was put on and something is wrong)
-Machined for 2J cams (judging by the rest I'd be suspicious of the quality of that work)

Always ask yourself WHY something is being sold...

 

[honestabe]

I thought you machined 2J cams to fit in 1J heads and not the other way around...

You're correct, you do machine 2J cams to fit into a 1J head, that's what I have right now in my 1J.

 

[kelson]

I'd send it back, that gouge is a deal breaker.

Also, I thought you machined 2J cams to fit in 1J heads and not the other way around...

ya usually you do. the head originally belonged to "bens sc" on club lexus. I called ben to talk to him about it and he confirmed that the head was bored for the 2jz cams. he said it was because he was going to use the hks cams and did want to mess with them. I don't uderstand that but to each man his own I guess. aslo though ben said when he sold it, it was perfect. no gouges of scratches of any kind, so I don't know how they got there but I'm just becomeing really suspicous of this whole thing.

 

[ganesht]

Always ask yourself WHY something is being sold...

+100

aslo though ben said when he sold it, it was perfect. no gouges of scratches of any kind, so I don't know how they got there but I'm just becomeing really suspicous of this whole thing.

i would call bs and send back the head. how could it have happened, in shipping?

 

[csnow]

If the seller is denying it, it already sounds like he is going to give you troubles. I dont see how a gouge that deep could have happened in shipping. That looks like a pry mark. You could end up sending it back and be out the head and the money. I wouldnt return it until the seller refunds the cost of the head first. If you used PayPal, good luck. It is for your very reason that I only use AMEX linked to my PayFraud account. AMEX will cover any bad purchase as long as you have proof you returned the item regardless of what PayFraud says. I have only had one bad experience with PayPal but it was a several thousand dollar item so I learned the hard way.