Hello to all. It's been quite awhile since I've been able to post here.

I have a '94 940 that has a blown head gasket. After removing the head, and dropping it off at the machine shop. They said that it is too warped to resurface and that a replacement is in order. The shop has a 'recast' head(complete with cam) for this vehicle for sale. I'd just like to know should I get their 'recast' head or spend a few days at a few of the local breaker yards looking for a less warped or clean 530/531 head? As always, all help/advice is appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read(respond to) this post.

I turned down the shop's offer for their head as it is not the correct head for my Volvo. I'm not sure why they kept it for so long. Thank you for all of the information concerning that recast head.


Original head returned from the shop.

https://ibb.co/dfrQMc
https://ibb.co/fbNAnH
https://ibb.co/kQ85Mc
https://ibb.co/k4J5Mc

Just updating with the recast head pictures.
"I cannot get the links to show in the post. Links are posted below."

https://ibb.co/g2xshx
https://ibb.co/mYyyNx
https://ibb.co/eHvTNx
https://ibb.co/mxcxFH

It looks like a K-Jet head, with holes for the injectors in the head, not in the intake manifold.

It is the wrong head.
--
john

I do see some corrosion.
A little on the cam lobes and on the valves.

Double check that there is no corrosion on the valve seats themselves.

Also there are few gouges on the intake side, nothing serious though.

its an egr head and the skim job does look like it was properly stored after doing it

It is for K-Jet fuel injection.
--
john

your engine is not used by racers so recasting is all but unheard of for that head.

be deeply skeptical of their offer.

you have 2 choice viable choices

find one at a bone yard of which there are many out there

ho here http://car-part.com/ and look around

the other valid thing you can do is go to a good machine shop, have the head skimmed as best they can and then have them order or make a steel shim which is used in addition to the gasket

if it was my car i would used car part and find a head in short order.

if your head has the diz in the back of the head you can STILL look for a good 240 if your car is a non turbo. they are more plentiful and generally cheaper. what you will have to if you get a 240 head is simply switch the cam from your head into the 240 head. that way you can install your head mounted distributor.

The issue with a head which is warped out of spec, isn't how much material must be removed and the resulting increase in compression, but how much out of line the cam ways are.

I agree with you, I'd find a good used head. I have one I would give the OP, but he would have to pick it up. I am unwilling to pack it for shipping.
--
john

Hi Solo,

When I Googled 'recast cylinder head' I found, among other things, a definition by the European Tractor Pulling Committee. I quote...

"Recasting is the process of manufacturing using an alternative mold to the one used in serial production"

It appears that modified heads are made to gain advantage for some engines in competition. They are controversial and very expensive, and I'm not aware of anything like that being made for the B230.

Another usage of 'recasting' is to mean a head that is modified or repaired by welding. One can make the argument that fusion welding is a form of casting, that is true, but I really hope they're not calling it recast to avoid telling you that, "it was cracked, so we got Billy Bob to weld it."

If you're back at the machine shop, please ask for an explanation and let us know. .

Peter

If you don't find a definitive answer here, try TB. John V would answer this I suspect, but you have to thicken your skin to the engine building pecking order.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=340386 <-- just a current example of the above. :)
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine.

Don't know how much you trust that machine shop, but I would take the head to another shop for another opinion. Seems a little too convenient that they just happen to have a replacement head for sale. Tom

+1 on Tom's advice.
Heads warp... But what made your head warp? What made the gasket blow?

I've never heard of a "recast" head. I would ask the shop to clarify that term.

And me, I'm not a fan of just taking a used head, skimming the deck, and bolting it on. What about valve seats, valve guides, etc...??? If the head is off, then rebuild it.

Good luck.