6.9 Head Machining (HELP)

[beretzs]

Hey guys, the little shop where I took my truck is getting me all sorts of wound up right now. They called this morning and say that I need to machine my heads. I say, "won't that increase my CR even more". they say no, we are only taking about 6 thousandths off. What is the deal with that. I thought that no machining should be done to the heads. If 6 thousandths is okay, well, I can live with it. Zigg, Mel, if you guys can let me know ASAP I would appreciate it. I am going up to that shop this afternoon and would like to look things over.

Then he says that they need to put a new return line kit on. Well, I just put a new one on less than a few months ago, I would think mine would be okay. They also said they tested one of my injectors and that one had a poor spray pattern. I guess this is entirely possible, That is liveable, but the whole heads thing is making me crazy. I need someone to sanity check me, and tell me they are not monkeying up my engine. Scotty

 

[towcat]

scotty-
You're lucky that the machine shop didn't give you the "cracked beyond repair" speech. 6 thou is ok. There's always a little warpage and a "cleanup" decking on the heads is normal.
return line kit....replace it. this item i've always hated IH for the design. Look at the caps the wrong way and they'll start ******* all over you. with a turbo restricting accessibility, you're better off changing it before another leaks again.
one other thing, how many miles do you have on the injectors? As much as it may hurt now, changing them all may not be so bad considering that you won't have to return there for a very long time. then again, if the shop says the rest pattern and pop nice, leaving them alone might be ok too...

 

[beretzs]

Thanks Towcat, my bloodpressure is finally starting to come down into lower digits. The injectors have about 1K miles, yes, 1,000 miles, just put the new IP and Injectors in just before the HG's took a poop. Thanks again. All I know is the next time something happens to the truck (major item) the wife is going to have a for sale sign on the truck. Price went up 300 bucks to have the heads cleaned up. She is having a conniption. So pray to the lords that nothing else happens, cause the truck will be in the for sale section. Scotty

 

[towcat]

I don't have the wife problem. I paid her off with a house and a "nice" car. as a result, she shuts up on my toys. Besides, she knows I am a cheap *******, therefore my toys with repair work have never gotten near street sale value.

 

[beretzs]

Thanks Towcat, you helped me justify the dough I am plunking down. Sometimes I just cringe at the prices I have to pay for stuff I do not have the time or facilities to do myself. Headgaskets are such an easy job and I Could have done them with in a week, IF I had a week, and if I had the place to do them. PITA.. Oh well, I am just praying the truck does not throw anymore crazy quirks at me for awhile. I am getting to the point of no return on the truck and as much I keep putting into it, I need it to last. I am not going to baby it, in order to keep it. If I wanted to baby something I would buy a car. I need the truck to pull the Jeep, get me to work and back. Not really asking for much, just a little uptime, before I have to do anything else. But, with that said, I have to do brakes too!! I know those are not going to be cheap either. Viscious neverending cycle. Scotty

 

[Agnem]

Scotty, my personally feelings on the 6 thousands, is that you could let it go. Remember what happened to Pete. You'll find out how competent the shop is, that's for sure.