3.0 build - starting from scratch

[BradGTV]

ive got a 164 complete motor sitting here i need to get rid of, be interested to know how much there selling for these days??

[martym00se72]

I just picked up what looks like a decent one for 500. Should be around the mark...

[Evan Bottcher]

Funny innit.  What's a 164 complete car worth?  $500.  What's a pair of good 164 headlights worth?  $500.  What's a good 164 3.0L v6 worth?  $500.

[Mick A]

Those would be QV headlights though Evan.

[Beatle]

Evan, if you can find a good 164 for $500.....I'm interested

[Evan Bottcher]

Evan, if you can find a good 164 for $500.....I'm interested

I didn't say a GOOD one.  Just a complete one.

[martym00se72]

OK, so heads are off the 164 engine i picked up locally - Thanks Tim! 

Sooo much better condition... Pics to follow, probably take some this weekend.

Question for any Adelaide folks - where is a good, reasonably priced place to take engine heads to be cleaned up and checked out, replace seals etc... How much is a reasonable price for such a service?

[TimD]

Good to hear Marty! Looking forward to some pics.

I had my heads done at Adelaide Cylinder Heads on Port Rd, as recommended by Eurosport. They did a good job on welding the corrosion, but they did not have the correct tools to tighten the cam pulleys so they just gave it back loose. They also said my valve stem seals, which came in the Victor Reinz gasket set, were the wrong size and charged me another $100. Plus $250 for corrosion welding. Then when I got it back together, it was very tappety and I had to get my mechanic to reset all the clearances.

I think I was quoted about $850 (the cheapest quote I got) in labour to strip the head, clean, replace the valve guides, cut new valve seats and reassemble but the job ended up costing about $1200 (about the highest quote I got) plus the cost to have the clearances reset.

So, in the end I would not recommend them, because I reckon the fleeced me 100 bucks and really did not finish the job properly. But I think price range is about right for 2 heads.

[martym00se72]

Ok - photo time 

First few are of the heads - still to be cleaned up - probably won't get out to sort them until 26th when I have a day off

[martym00se72]

And this is the rest of it - cleaned up a bit...

[Mick A]

That block looks really good from what I can see around the liners. Very minimal corrosion! That's good!

[martym00se72]

OK - been a while. Selling a house will do that to you.

Got the heads done. Thought I would chase up 3 prices. One of the places has gone bust, one of the places was not open so that  only left the place the Tim warned against. Their quoted price was $550 for both heads if no welding was needed or $660 if they did (verbal quote - worth the paper it was written on...). Decided to roll the dice with them. They gave me a call and said the exhaust valves were pitting and starting to dish and the guides were worn - 200 to do them - OK add that to the list. I go to pick them up when done. First question from me - did they do any welding? Nope. Then they try to charge the full rate... But they backed down when challenged so ok. They say the reset clearances but didn't torque up the sprockets because they did not know what to do them to... so how do they know the right clearances I wonder...

Anyway - anyone know what torque and clearances I need for this? If not I will have to try to find it in the manual...

I now have the car on jack stands, starting the swap. Exhaust off - finally. Will be getting flange joints put in. All in 1 system is a PITA!  Have taken out the bolts on one side of the rear donut and the bolts holding the trans front brace (if that is what it is called...) looking to drop the front of the trans down but it looks like it might be binding on a locator bearing or something through the donut. Do I need the pry bar to lever back the trans to get it past?

And - haven't done any research on this, but is there anywhere that sells rebuild kits for the de-tensioner (164 12v 3.0). I gather they are hard to come by...?

Many more dumb questions to follow for sure 
Cheers
Marty

[rowan_bris]

The tensioner kits are available from Altissimo in the US.  I have a spare one if you need one in a hurry.

[martym00se72]

Thanks for the offer Rowan - any idea what their shipping rates are like? Sent them a query but no answer so far. I am not in a hurry as such - still got plenty to do

I have, after some consideration, decided to get the front flywheel on a diet. I will be using the flywheel and front pulley from the 2.5 so my questions are:
1) How much can/should come off - don't want it so light that it is at risk of spontaneously exploding - but do want enough that it will make a difference
2) (for Adelaide folks) Is there a workshop that people trust to do this and then balance it up properly

[rowan_bris]

I can't recall sorry, but it would have been amongst other stuff I got so hard to tell anyway.  Shipping in general from the US is very high