tom0

I bought a remanufactured head. Going to be swapping out my cracked 0331. Im on a budget. After inspection of the remanufactured head I noticed a small crack in the repair area. To me it seems like an alarming sight, but was rudely told by the machinist that it is a normal part of a pin repair.

Im no machinist but I'm under the impression that cast iron repairs are supposed to be smooth and without cracks. It just seems like bad craftsmanship and or damage that will fail very soon. I attached the pic, the crack is dead center. Can anyone give me their opinion?

Thanks!

Klutch

So it's a 0331 head that cracked and was welded? I get than you're on a budget, but I've read countless stories online where someone installed a welded 0331 head only for it to crack again shortly thereafter.


I don't know what you paid for this head, but you can get a brand new, improved casting from Clearwater for $440 delivered to your door. It even has brand new valves. I just installed this head on my XJ a few weeks ago. It's a very nice part.


So, my take is I wouldn't trust any weld on a 0331 cylinder head no matter what the bead looks like. You asked for my opinion and there it is.

tom0

I know a new head would be the best but from a machinist/repair standpoint I'm trying to see if this is a faulty repair. The machinist is rudely dismissive when I ask questions.

I initially asked if it had been welded and they assure me it had not. They said it had been pinned from the inside, which i don't know how is even possible. They said the crack is just the bottom of the pin repair???? I'm skeptical. Any machinists out there can give there opinion on this repair and the crack. The crack is just below center on the highlight. It almost looks like and epoxy repair.

Thanks!

CCKen

Welding of cast iron is very tricky.


Send that POS back.

Dumajones

^^^^This, I had the dealership up here in AK try a remanufactured like that on my 2000. I told them to take it and stick it somewhere.
I went with Clearwater after that ordeal.
Its very very tricky to weld cast iron like CCken said. I would not trust it over the long run, but that's just me.

Firestorm500

I wouldn't even trust it in the short run.

ANY 0331 head is good for nothing but a door stop or a boat anchor.

Ask that snooty machinist how long he will guarantee, in writing, the head, engine, and labor against re-cracking and ruining everything.

As others have said, get your money back and apply it to a brand-new aftermarket head. It will really be the cheapest way to repair the Jeep over time.

Bustedback

Being cheap tends to cost more in the long run.

extrashaky

OP, another vote for sending that POS back. That repair doesn't look right, and besides, a repaired non-TUPY 0331 is just another failure waiting to happen. This cheaper head will cost you more money in the long run than if you just do it right.

Why would a machine shop even bother repairing that thing? It should have been melted down.

Except TUPY 0331 heads. Have to remember the TUPYs are still 0331s and are just fine.

STUD IN THE MUD

If your going to spend all that time and effort installing a new head you might as well do it right. As someone said earlier a good head is only 400-500...worth every penny.

HS00XJ

I just install a reman tupy tonight I would never install another head that wasn't a tupy or after market.Its alit of work and that worry of when its going to fell again.Look up I believe it was t and c enterprises for a reman tupy or new casting and send that back.

Firestorm500

How about this: ANY non-TUPY 0331 head...

Radi

If that's a pin repair there is no welding. They drill from the bottom, insert pins in the overlapping holes, then shot-peen the pins tight. Works if you get it just right and the crack doesn't spread. I wouldn't trust it in a head.

Kalali

Just out of curiosity, how much are they asking for that head?

Todd Stahl

Another newb question!

Anybody know anything about the Napa Ironclad product line. I had a cracked head back in January and was kinda at a loss for what to do (was quoted over $2,200 by the garage I took it to). I was able to talk them into allowing me to by my own part and have them put it in so I had to find something fast. So far its running great but I've noticed I get some temp spikes when I idle for a while...

Also my oil pressure never tanked it always was 40 or greater, had one day it spiked to the red line...and now after the head replacement it stays around 45-50 up to 55 at highway speeds is that normal?

Crazy 8s

$2200 to swap a head? If you've got the tools and the shop, that would take like 4 hours to do. $100 an hour shop rate = $400 + $500 for remanned head.

There is a shop in Phx that will install a fully remanned 4.0 for $2150 and include a warranty for like 50k miles.

"...but the book says its a 12 hour job!" I know where that book belongs...