What is the cost of a valve job nowadays? I found a pretty solid deal on all the necessary equipment to do it, but I don't know if its worth it. I've never personally had one done, so I guess theres not a pressing need for me to have one, but there have plenty of times that I would have done it if I had my own equipment.
Unless you know what you're doing you can ruin a cylinder head just as easily as fix it. In some parts of the country it can be expensive to get engine machine work done and I understand that. Around me there are not that many shops but I do have one that works out of their homestead (It's on a farm.) so their overhead is low compared to shops located in a major city or town.
Right, I've done them in tech school, but I always worked as a line tech, not a machinist so I never did it in the field. I'm familiar with the process and all that. If I can get ten valve jobs done for the cost of this equipment then its not worth buying, but if I can only get two or three then it is worth it to me to buy. So thats why I'm asking about the price.
Depends.
I usually pay $120-$150/head.
I think I paid around $200 for the last head job I got done a few years back at a local (and very good) shop. That included leak checking the head, servicing, surfacing and re-assembling it. No new valves or springs.
I paid $500 for a 3 angle valve job, including replacing half (8) valves on my G13-B
depends on the valve job... and who is doing it.
I can get a "simple" one angle cut for a 4 cyl head for about $100, fancy 3 angle with back cut $350.
I've been also looking into the equipment. As far as machines... make sure the chuck is good, it needs to be within .001", so any play you feel... is equipment you might want to avoid, or plan on servicing before you use it.
Well we need more info. What type of equipment? seat grinder or seat cutters? How many cutters how many mandrels? what brand of valve re-surfacer? does it have multiple collets for todays thin stemmed valves? when was the run out last checked? does it come with a wheel diamond to dress the surface? how many wheels with it?
I've got kit on the way from B&D vibo-centric kit i'll be selling soon helping a friend settle his late brothers estate.
Its an old Van Dorn setup. In pictures it looks clean and well kept. It has the lathe for cutting valves and the drill for resurfacing heads. It comes with a hand full of stones and collets. It does have the stone dresser. The seller is not an engine machinist, just a guy who had this in his garage, and says he bought this thing 15 years ago and used it twice. So the accessories and maintenance are limited I'm sure. I haven't seen it in person check backlash and what not. What you guys say the setup is worth?
I borrow this Neway kit from a friend when I get the urge to do a valve job. Pretty trick little kit! You can do a nice 3 angle valve job, then just lap the seats and you're done.
See if one of those auto parts places that rent out tools have it.
Dan
http://www.cylinderheadsupply.com/neway-valve-seat-cutters.html
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