I have my truck in the shop for new head gaskets, re-worked heads and a laundry list of other things. Anyway, the shop wanted to install a re-worked set of heads they had sitting on the shelf. Afterwards, they would send my heads out for re-work and the next guy would get them.

Supposedly, this would speed up the job for me. I didn't like the idea too much and specified that my original heads be reinstalled. I'm not in a hurry and I like to know what's going back into my truck.

Anyway, is this standard practice and was it reasonable to request my original heads be used? Excepting a quicker turn-around time I saw absolutely no advantage in letting them do this as my truck is relatively low miles, hasn't been overheated etc.

 

Standard, but not always the best way for you to go. At your mileage, you don't need the valves done, maybe a resurface only to correct any head warpage. Why do they want to don't some rebuilt heads on you?

 

If you needed the truck back on the road Monday then I would see no problem with it.
But I too would just wait and get my heads back.

 

I never doubted the shops intentions. I figure it's just a way to pace the work. They do the heads in-house so I'm sure the exchange system allows them to work on heads during slack times. I was just wondering if I was being unreasonable wanting my original heads back

Yes, my heads looked better than expected when they came off but I decided to have them worked on anyway. Will basically be dissasemble, clean and inspect, plus they will freshen the mating surfaces. Not much more $$ in the scheme of things and with that and all the other stuff done I'll know everything is fresh and good to go for a few more years..... hopefully; at least everything under the hood.

Spending less money is second nature to me but since I made the decision to keep my truck for the long term, when I do maintenance, I ask myself "what would I have done if money were no object?" Then I do it. Seems to work so far, going on eight years and I've never been left on the side of the road. The work I'm having done to the truck now is especially important since I plan to take a road trip north this Summer to escape the insane Texas heat. For example, my water pump is still fine but I'm putting a new one in so I won't worry about it. Other stuff is being done too. Of course, my approach is best used when you have the spare cash.

 

So when are you coming home?

 

I've run across quite a few shop that follow that procedure. IMO, a set of heads that have been machined and rebuilt is no different than having the same work done on your heads. I also see no problem with you as the customer wanting your original parts to be reinstalled.

 

I'm thinking July/August -Michigan tourism commercials are making me terribly homesick right now. You may not see them since they are probably only shown out-of-state, but the state of Michigan has a huge tourism ad campaign going on right now. The commercials run on a couple of the cable channels all the time. They are very well done and show the natural beauty of Michigan, which I'm sure most people don't associate with the state.

Will probably end up waiting till August though. I'm going to Belize next month and I'll probably need a couple, three months to recover from that expenditure.

Weather here in Texas is glorious right now. I was sitting outside tonight at dusk watching the hummingbirds fight over the flowers. Next weekend I'll be taking the bike down to Fredricksburg for a couple nights to do some wildflower viewing.