Cylinder heads for 1.8, replace, fix, or upgrade? Options

[Hine62]

When we tuned up the valve gaps I noticed that one of my exhaust ports studs was fixed using a heli-coil. Of course that coil needed to be replace because it pulled out, then when tightening the other side of the same port I noticed the hole the stud was in was cracked, and of course it broke. I tired JB weld but that didn't work.

So my question is... can this problem be fixed, or should the heads be replaced (new or used?), or is there an upgraded head?

I'm assuming the engine will need to be pulled out to take the heads off.

[ldsgeek]

Not sure if the hardware is that bad, but I think the valves and ports are sized for the bus engine rather than the 914 version, meaning it will run but run out of steam at the top end.

[r_towle]

Not sure if the hardware is that bad, but I think the valves and ports are sized for the bus engine rather than the 914 version, meaning it will run but run out of steam at the top end.

1.8 liter 914 motor uses the same valve sizes and the same heads as the 1.8 liter vw motor.

The difference is in the oil dipstick location.

The only motor that was different is the 2.0 liter motor and the difference was limited to the heads that Porsche put larger valve into for the 914.

So, these AMC castings are bolt on replacements.

I believe some engine builders and machine shops do not like the hardware used in these heads, I have heard that before.

I have not heard of any failures of these heads, so it may not be the top of the line hardware, but for 400 bucks per head, its still a bargain.

Many people buy these heads, remove all the hardware, and build up racing heads from these just because they are new castings...so the alloy has no heat cycles...thus it will take the abuse longer without a failure.

For 400 bucks, it would cost at least that to fix a cracked head...and that does not include buying new hardware, new valves, a valve job, new guides, all of it..

Still a great deal.

rich