Well Boys, I have joined the club. I have two leaking head gaskets. Driver side front and passenger side rear. The leaks are small but I know its time.

Truck has never overheated while I have owned it. I flushed out the dexcool when I purchased it 50K miles ago. Unfortunately this is my daily driver and I drive about 80+ miles a day.

Heads have already been done once by PO, so just hoping there is enough meet left on it to do again. Boneyards within 120 miles around here are limited on D2's and most have already been picked over.

Local machine shop who specializes in Euro vehicles quoted $275 just to resurface. Only problem is its a 7 to 10 day turnaround due to how busy he is.

So what are your thoughts about ordering heads that have already been machined and rebuilt that are sold online? Any particular preferences on vendors?

I'm trying to keep my downtime to a minimum.

 

I paid $400 for a resurface, $275 isn't that bad.

 

If its your daily driver, you don't have many other options.
Buy a set and do a quick turnaround on the HG job.

 

i "THINK" willtillery@roverguy.com, or 434-251-9331 does a whole exchange deal. he will sell you a sets of heads already machined with all the gaskket and bolts needed gasket and bolts.

 

you could go the route Drowssap mentioned or buy a block on ebay and go all out on a build. ARP head studs, have the heads cleaned up and gasket matched, clean them up nice and good. May take a little time, but it's an option. All depends on how much time, space and how technically inclined you are...

 

My 2001 had heads in an unknown condition. Looks like my head gaskets were replaced
as least once.

At 98,000 I just changed the head gaskets by cleaning up the heads and block and put on the gaskets..

Unless it has overheated, the head should not be warped.

You keep milling down the heads, you increase compression.
Even more reason to run premium gas.

 

grab a used diesel jetta in the meantime, it will pay for itself in the gas savings alone with a commute like that before the heads are even removed on the disco lol

 

I paid $40 per head for resurface. Shop has been in business for 30+ years and turn-around is the next day.

 

Ralph - if you don't mind me asking, what were your symptoms? I'm wondering if I have a bad HG.

Thanks,
Erik

 

From all the research Ive done, the headgaskets usually go do to micro cracks in the block between cylinders. The only way that I personally would do headgaskets on a 4.0 is a full engine rebuild with Liners , MLS headgasket and ARP headstuds assuring it will not happen again. Otherwise you are wasting you time and money as its a time bomb waiting to happen once again.