Finding a rebuilt head

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
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Adam_weinkauf
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Location: Grosse Pointe

Finding a rebuilt head

Post by Adam_weinkauf »

Looking to put a rebuild head on my 88 535is, is there a preferred place i should go to in order to get one. How much should it cost (i understand around $600-$800) and if there is anything else I should look out for. TIA
cek
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by cek »

I think your best bet is to go to a local machine shop that builds engines and get a quote.
cyclist
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by cyclist »

I had my head rebuilt in Feb with new guides and a few valves. My total cost was just shy of $400
athayer187
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by athayer187 »

If you just want plug and play, it's going to be a bit more expensive than that:

https://bimmerheads.com/collections/m30 ... inder-head

I'd find a local machine shop.
Mike W.
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by Mike W. »

Much depends on what you are looking for. Just how good do you want it? Do you want your own head redone or a turnkey you can just bolt on?

Headwork for BMWs isn't cheap, the last one I had done was back in '08 I think it was, for a valve job, guides and a surface it was ~$400. That was with me doing the breakdown and reassembly and no new parts except for guides. That shop does tend to be on the high side, but they do very good work and there's nothing more expensive than a cheap shop.

If you start throwing a cam in there, new rockers, new valves, new rocker shafts you could be pushing a thou right there just in parts.

If you have a local shop do it, ask around and look for the best, most highly recommenced shop. I've only used a couple over the years I was happy with.
Thecar
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by Thecar »

My head is at a local shop right now. I was quoted around 300 for them to check the head, surface it, and replace a single broken rocker. I did zero disassembly of the head (besides removing it from the car, of course). I am not sure if that includes valve guides, he said he would check them and let me know if I need any.
BRRV
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by BRRV »

For that price from Bimmerheads, you can buy a new head from BMW.

The problem, for me, and likely the OP, is: how do you determine the quality of a machine shop? I'm in the Denver CO area, and I have yet to get a good recommendation for any shop in a 100 mile radius that has any documented experience with classic or vintage BMW heads. Just saying "find a quality machine shop" is a non-starter if said machine shop has no idea what it is they are working on. Recall, for instance, that surfacing an M30 head also requires modifying the front cover, IIRC - would a "decent machine shop" know that, or not? It's a dilemma, for sure. Perhaps a discussion of what to look for, what to know, and what to expect would be helpful. I for one won't give a head to any shop that I can't quantify as to experience and quality on a specific level. Honestly, I feel less trusting of "machine shops" than I do of the average automotive "repair shop", and that's the honest truth.

And frankly, I'd like to learn something.. I have a head that may need guides and/or seals soon, and I don't want to wind up with a disaster on my hands because a shop wants to learn how on my head and fails, because that will likely happen down the road, with usually disastrous results.
tschultz
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by tschultz »

BRRV wrote: Jul 01, 2020 11:56 AM For that price from Bimmerheads, you can buy a new head from BMW.

The problem, for me, and likely the OP, is: how do you determine the quality of a machine shop? I'm in the Denver CO area, and I have yet to get a good recommendation for any shop in a 100 mile radius that has any documented experience with classic or vintage BMW heads. Just saying "find a quality machine shop" is a non-starter if said machine shop has no idea what it is they are working on. Recall, for instance, that surfacing an M30 head also requires modifying the front cover, IIRC - would a "decent machine shop" know that, or not? It's a dilemma, for sure. Perhaps a discussion of what to look for, what to know, and what to expect would be helpful. I for one won't give a head to any shop that I can't quantify as to experience and quality on a specific level. Honestly, I feel less trusting of "machine shops" than I do of the average automotive "repair shop", and that's the honest truth.

And frankly, I'd like to learn something.. I have a head that may need guides and/or seals soon, and I don't want to wind up with a disaster on my hands because a shop wants to learn how on my head and fails, because that will likely happen down the road, with usually disastrous results.
Rick, I suggest Area Auto Machine in Broomfield/Westminster and have used them twice now.
BRRV
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by BRRV »

Excellent, thank you. Hey, since you’ve done this a couple of times, when it comes to BMW heads and machine shops, what do you look for? I’m a novice, as are many.

(Sorry to hear of the cancellation of 4Corners this year)
Mike W.
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by Mike W. »

BRRV wrote: Jul 01, 2020 3:26 PM Excellent, thank you. Hey, since you’ve done this a couple of times, when it comes to BMW heads and machine shops, what do you look for? I’m a novice, as are many.

(Sorry to hear of the cancellation of 4Corners this year)
Word of mouth is all I've found to go by. Enthusiasts such as Tom or even pro mechanics, they often have a handle on who does good work, they don't want any comebacks or to have to do a job twice. You can't go by what they work on even, I had a couple of bad experiences with a shop that specialized in BMW heads.
BRRV
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by BRRV »

Mike W. wrote: Jul 01, 2020 4:33 PM Word of mouth is all I've found to go by. Enthusiasts such as Tom or even pro mechanics, they often have a handle on who does good work, they don't want any comebacks or to have to do a job twice. You can't go by what they work on even, I had a couple of bad experiences with a shop that specialized in BMW heads.
Yea, I'd absolutely agree. And I appreciate the heads up from Tom, I'd forgotten to even ask him if he'd had any local contacts. I've been out of things here with the E28, been working on the E38 for a while.

It's a crap-shoot for sure.
SlickDizzy
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by SlickDizzy »

Just to add a point of reference, I paid a well-regarded local circle track head guy $400 for full disassembly, resurface, installation of new valve guides/seals/valvetrain hardware, multi-angle valve job, and reassembly of a junkyard B35 head. I provided the parts. He did an excellent job and knew his stuff.
travisj
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Re: Finding a rebuilt head

Post by travisj »

Rick, I suggest Area Auto Machine in Broomfield/Westminster and have used them twice now.
+1 for Area. I just used them last year and they did great. I think pretty much everyone around here uses them because of their experience and reputation. Also nice that they are right up the street.
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