Looking for a cylinder head

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Merkava_4

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Clovis, CA
2000 Buick LeSabre w/3800 Series II V6 VIN 1G4HP54K9Y4132942

Looking for a rear cylinder head, although I think the front and rears might be the same. The GM dealer website shows the reference number 226 on the drawing for both cylinder heads. I haven't got the casting number yet; still not quite sure where it's at.

I want one that's never been re-manufactured. I don't want any repaired threads. I'm assuming the only source for that would be a salvage yard, correct ? If so, I'll be pulling it myself.

What's a good way to tell the condition of the cylinder head just by looking at it ?

These cars have digital odometers, so there's no way to see the mileage without the car fully intact with the ignition on. Not gonna happen in a salvage yard.
 
Go to co-part.com and you can search for car parts from junkyard cars. It displays miles on there.

I'm assuming you'll be pulling the oil cap and checking for varnish before doing the work?
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Go to co-part.com and you can search for car parts from junkyard cars. It displays miles on there.

I'm assuming you'll be pulling the oil cap and checking for varnish before doing the work?


I bet that's the reason for replacement. It's starting to varnish!
 
Hey Nick that reminds me - I drained the Valvoline out of the engine and saved it before starting the lower intake manifold job. Right now it's back in the engine and in service. I didn't want to waste it.
smile.gif
 
Nice, I hope it is running quietly. If it isn't, it won't hurt my feelings if you're honest
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4



What's a good way to tell the condition of the cylinder head just by looking at it ?



You could tell quite a bit just by looking at it with a compression tester. Only needs it to turn over and the starter to work AFAIK (dunno much about such modern cars).

Rear cylinder head might imply that access is a pain though I suppose.
 
Wait, I gave you the wrong link earlier
33.gif


I meant car-part.com

There's one in Fresno from a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, 95k miles. $150. Often times the parts on car-part.com are already pulled.

I used that website and got a wheel a couple weeks ago for my grandma's 2014 Grand Caravan.
 
Why not get a valve job on current head. If the head is iron it can be magnifluxed to look for invisible cracks. If it's aluminum then not sure.

The major rebuilders sell reman heads. It's $178 at RockAuto. I would go this route myself. Your getting a professionally inspected and reman head that you can install and not worry about the quality of the head. I
 
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This original question made me wonder if it would be possible to create a list of GOOD SALVAGE YARDS Coast-to-Coast.
The OP is in California so my recommendation to go to Chuck & Eddie's in Connecticut isn't that helpful.

As far as assembling a list goes I know the criteria would be questionable.
EXAMPLE 1: A yard had my part ERGO they're great
EXAMPLE 2: A yard did not have my part ERGO they stink
EXAMPLE 3: I live in the complete past so any yard which isn't a "pick yourself" is bad

Feedback, anyone?
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
This original question made me wonder if it would be possible to create a list of GOOD SALVAGE YARDS Coast-to-Coast.
The OP is in California so my recommendation to go to Chuck & Eddie's in Connecticut isn't that helpful.

As far as assembling a list goes I know the criteria would be questionable.
EXAMPLE 1: A yard had my part ERGO they're great
EXAMPLE 2: A yard did not have my part ERGO they stink
EXAMPLE 3: I live in the complete past so any yard which isn't a "pick yourself" is bad

Feedback, anyone?


EXAMPLE 4: They haven't heard of eBay so they sell a $400 ABS computer for $20 if it's half smeared in mud.
EXAMPLE 5: You can trade an old engine block for two nearly new tires. (I've done it!)
EXAMPLE 6: They slack off with the fencing so you can judge the quality of their inventory from the street.
EXAMPLE 7: When you pay cash, the sales tax is "built in" to the price.
 
What's wrong with the head you have? Unless it's cracked, there's a pretty good chance you'll have to pay to repair the used one you buy. Problem with buying a used one is-most scrapyards want to keep a complete good engine together & sell the whole thing, not pull a head off (which would make the rest of the engine scrap). Of course, if the rest of the engine has issues, might be better to buy a complete one anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
What's wrong with the head you have?


How much time do you have ?
cool.gif
I was changing the intake manifold gaskets when I got the bright idea to chase the bolt holes in the cylinder heads to clean them up. Usually that's not a bad idea if a person uses the correct size tap. The correct size tap in this case would be 5/16"-18. The tap that was used by the most idiotic person in the world was an 8mm X 1.25mm. So by time I started on the third hole, I finally realized that metal shavings are not supposed to be coming out of a threaded hole if it's just being chased. So now with 3 holes in the rear head severely damaged, I order a Time-Sert kit from Amazon. That would've worked fine if I was able to drill the holes at the correct angle. Two of them I got pretty close, but one was way off. So in my vested interest to punish myself for being so stupid, I'm going to replace the rear cylinder head.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
What's wrong with the head you have?


How much time do you have ?
cool.gif
I was changing the intake manifold gaskets when I got the bright idea to chase the bolt holes in the cylinder heads to clean them up. Usually that's not a bad idea if a person uses the correct size tap. The correct size tap in this case would be 5/16"-18. The tap that was used by the most idiotic person in the world was an 8mm X 1.25mm. So by time I started on the third hole, I finally realized that metal shavings are not supposed to be coming out of a threaded hole if it's just being chased. So now with 3 holes in the rear head severely damaged, I order a Time-Sert kit from Amazon. That would've worked fine if I was able to drill the holes at the correct angle. Two of them I got pretty close, but one was way off. So in my vested interest to punish myself for being so stupid, I'm going to replace the rear cylinder head.


When chasing threads you should have been able to turn the tap itself with your fingers, (tap not in holder), did you have a bottoming tap?

As far as drilling out the holes, did you use a drill press? If you did not have a drill press you should not have tried.
You might have tried drilling going up one drill bit at a time, you might have gotten away with that.

Buy a reman head from a company that remans engines/heads.

I think this error is on you!
 
I wouldn't be afraid of a repaired thread on a re-manufactured head. A steel heli coil thread is stronger than an aluminum thread.

What's Advanced Auto sell a head for with coupon code? I bought one for a Civic a few years back, put at least 100k miles on it since.
 
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