|
I really don't think that you have much choice but to remove the head. I don't reckon you are going to be able to do an effective repair upside down whilst the head is still in place. You MAY be able to, but I'd be worried about it every time I took the car out! if it fails badly you could be talking new engine!!!
Only then are you going to be able to see how bad the corrosion is, and make a decision on it. I would go one of three ways if I was doing it myself. The first would be my favourite, and the second would be the way I'd go if I couldn't find an old engine at a breakers (unlikely, as there must be loads of them around).
1. Get hold of another head/complete engine from a breakers and have the head off it skimmed just for peace of mind ready to go straight on when you take the old one off. That will save you time. If you get a complete engine you'll have other spares for another time! You can also get your old head repaired and sell it on or keep it as a spare.
2. Take the old head off and try a diy job using whatever grinding tools necessary to remove the pitting (go gently, a Dremel type tool is brilliant for this type of job (if you don't know what that is, no offence, have a look on ebay), and then rebuild the area with a good Epoxy Weld. This is good stuff, don't underestimate it, but you MUST, ABSOLUTELY MUST, give it time to cure. I use Plastic Padding's "Epoxy Weld" and it says that it seals, repairs, fixes, fills, replaces, on aluminium,copper,glass,marble,plastic, steel,stone, wood etc. I hardens in 5 minutes but I always leave the job for at least 12 hours to be sure. Then sand down the resin to get as near a perfect finish as possible.
Brilliant stuff and only about £4.50 a pack.
3. Take the head to a professional engine repair shop and get it repaired, but in that area they will probably not be able to do it and suggest a new head. Again, unitl you remove it, you can't see what's going on.
Let us know how you get on, and good luck with it.
|
