cyl. Head replacement

[screaming6]

Hey everyone!

2002 Es 4cyl.

so I neglected to change my timing belt in time ( about 1200 miles over) and yup you can guess what happened...SNAP. I was doing about 65mph at the time. Well I gave it. Shot and replaced the belt anyways and crossed my fingers that I had no bent valves but needless to say no compression.

Well I figured as much.

Anyways I got a quote to replace the bent valves would be between 600-850. There are some local recking yards that can sell me an entire head with a 30 day warranty for less than 150$. I figure this would be the better option for price, downtime and simplicity. Pull one off throw the other in, set time and BAM...right?

Question is... Anyone have experience or a write up on swapping one head for another? Any parts to change besides the head gasket? Having swapped steering racks, suspension and cluthes etc. Etc. I have decent mechanical ability but I don't want to go in over my head if its super complex.

realistically car is worth less than 1800 so putting you to 850 into it doesn't seem to smart. I have a few more cars so there isn't a huge rush...What do you think I should do?

[oakrdrs187]

You can do the yard head, just send it to get resurface and inspected. But even that can be in hte 300-400 dollar range if it needs valve seals or valves need to be re-seated.

But if you have other cars and don't think much of the car get rid of it. Someone will come along and give it the TLC it needed before it had enough and let you down.

[screaming6]

Ok sounds like a plan...is there any online write ups or just Haynes manual?

[CHICAGO_ONE]

I have not done the head swap, but I can tell you... if you grab an earlier year head 99-01, you will need to keep the "cam shaft reluctor/cam sensing cylinder" thats specific to your car 02-03 otherwise you will throw a code - p0340 .

I bought my car (2003) not knowing it had the head replaced (99-01) and they used a 99-01 cam reluctor...I was throwing a p0340 code and no one could figure it out... we were testing all the sensors and tracing wires for days.. I stumbled onto some talk about this on C3G and bam, fixed the problem.

[coconut]

Perfect Time for DOHC swap!!!!!

[hershman]

Hey chicago i have 99 2.4L and had the head swaped out. if the one i swapped it with is of a later model, 02-03 and the cam shaft reluctor/cam sensing cylinder wasnt changed would that cause a vibration.

[SirSmokeAlot303]

Question is... Anyone have experience or a write up on swapping one head for another? Any parts to change besides the head gasket?

I'm a fan of replacing headbolts whenever i remove a head... Also cam seal... valve cover gasket...

[spdracr]

head bolts MUST be replaced when removed. they are not reusable since they are torque to yield and they stretch when torquing them