I own a 1995 C4 Corvette with about 120k and lately well shes been a nightmare to say the least. The stage I am now at is the cylinder heads. Is is better to rebuild the heads or buy new heads? Money is definitely a factor. I have already replaced the optispark, waterpump, plugs and on and on. It all started when she overheated one day and would not start back up. She is at my mechanics now. I feel so stupid I ordered the gaskets and bolts but no heads. Duh! So he is waiting on me to decide what to do. I am just so upset I feel like just having her towed home but I cant do that. I really love this car but I am getting eaten out of house and home. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am in North Orange County California. I have been checking all over the place. Summit racing, E-bay & Amazon. I do find part #61919 from Edelbrock and yes its compatible @ 500.00 and then I still have to have it installed. Does anyone know the original part number for the heads on an LT1 engine vin P? Thanks.

 

The least expensive way is to have the head rebuilt. They are aluminum, so have them pressure tested. Have them check to see if they warped when the car overheated. You might have to resurface the head if they are warped. You might as well have the valves done while you have them off. This should be less expensive than a new set of heads.

Buying something off E-Bay is a gamble. Summit or Jeg's would get you a new good quality head.

 

For one bare head
You are looking at close to $700 ea ready to bolt on

Stock alum LT1 heads are a dime a dozen
If your are damaged beyond repair you can pick up other used ones for cleanup / rebuild cheap all over the place.
See
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-p...lete-pair.html
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/part...-heads-869806/
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/part...-heads-869998/

 

I spoke to my cousin who actual has the same car as mine that is why I bought this car inititally. He also advised me to rebuild the heads. I am just praying the labor is not too high. My mechanic is crunching some numbers for me now. It all started with the optispark and the car overheating had it towed home because it would not turn over. Then the water pump since the labor would basically be the same. Now this! I havent had my car back in a while but I am keeping my head (pun intended) up. He told me to ask my mechanic for the flat rate for labor. Thank you for the responses I really appreciate all of your knowledge. My Mom used to race cars herself back in the day. She had a 1964 GTO with stock triple carbs. She wishes she had it now, but she got pregnant with me and had to sell it. No wonder I have such a love for fast cars. I come from a family of motor heads. I have a good knowlegde of cars but this has been a new lesson for me. God Bless You all and I am greatful for this forum I have learned a lot here.

 

I followed the links and I appreciate them. Is a 1995 interchangable with other years? ie; 1994 Vette, 1997 Camaro? I thought they were not interchangable, but hey what do I know. I am finding out more and more not as much as I thought well at least about the heads. Never been in this situation. Owned 5 Camaros before the Vette but she has always been my dream to own. I cant wait to get her back. Oh last but not least for some reason I now have an oil leak. Did not before but I do now according to my mechanic. I am going to have to wait on this cannot afford a rear main seal if this is what it actually is. I heard and I really do not want to do this but there is some stop leak I can put in temporarily. Any one know of a good brand? Thanks again for the responses.

 

I am selective about what additives I have used in engines, transmissions and differentials in over forty (40) years of repairing cars & trucks.

I have used the following oil additive. In the vehicles I have used this in, I have seen very good results. May not stop your oil leak completely, but should slow down the leak substantially.

http://www.liqui-moly.us/liquimoly/p...cument&land=US

I bought this at a Napa Parts store. I am not sure anyone else carries the product at this time. Liqui Moly makes all types of synthetic engine oils & additives. They are based in Germany.

 

sorry to hear about your problems; I'd have your mechanic pull the heads, which apparently everyone agree's has to happen anyway, and then have them sent to a machine shop that rebuilds heads on a regular basis, allow them to tear them down, inspect them and give you a quote to have them rebuilt..Other than the fact your heads are aluminum, there is nothing different about them than any other small block head ever made. Rebuilding them should be (maybe much) less expensive than buying rebuilt (not to mention new) heads off the shelf. Obviously if they are cracked or suffered some type of catastropic damage, every thing changes, but for a garden variety rebuild (valve job) the costs should be minimal.

There's really nothing different about pulling and reinstalling LT1 heads than any other chevy small block head, except for the fact that they are aluminum, and given you and your families automotive back ground, it's too bad that your paying a mechanic to perform the labor to change out these heads. Are you sure someone mechanically inclined doesn't owe you some favors ?

good luck and please let us know how your project progresses.

 

I wish someone owed me a favor or had the time to do it. Shoot if I had a place ie; home and not an apartment I would have thought about trying to tackle this myself. (ha ha). It would take me a year, but it would be much more economical for sure. My mechanic used to work for GM for 20 years and he has owned his own shop for the last 10 years. He knows money is tight right now so he is crunching some numbers for me. I am praying for a miracle here and a flat rate. After reading one of your posts the over heating issue is a bit concerning. I spoke to my boyfriend when this initially happened (he was driving and feels terrible! I keep telling him the car is 17 yrs old its really not your fault it happens). He said steam appeared to be coming from the front passenger side by the windshield when this all started. I recall this happening to me with a camaro I had along time ago. I thought it was the water pump. He pulled off into a gas station to let her cool down and then she would not fully turn over. I tried her 3 more times the next day ect. before resolving to have her towed to my mechanic. After a few days of trial and error putting in the optispark and new water pump, spark plugs & oil change he finally did get her to turn over completely but the compression was very low. This is when the hunt began for why no compression? Wella a cracked head. Oh joy. That is not what I really said and I am sure you can guess. My cousin is telling me we can recoup some of the money after fixing the head. Im pretty much lost as far as that goes if mine is being rebuilt recoup what? He knows his stuff so I will deal with one crisis at a time here. Anyway... he owns a corvette just like mine same year same color. God Bless him he is still racing to this day here and there. I would ask him but time is an issue and again they dont take kindly to working on your cars at apartments. Understandably so. I will keep you all posted. Been a few days still have not heard from my mechanic but I am hoping thats a good thing....Thanks again for all your replies. You guys and gals rock.

 

As stated above, be sure to understand why the engine overheated as if not corrected, it is going to overheat again and you will get to spend alot of money again....not something you want to do.

Not sure why the optispark unit was replaced, unless it got filled with coolant somehow??

Now this oil leak...were you told it was the rear main seal or do you just suspect it is? Asking as the rear of the intake manifold likes to leak on the LT1 and oil runs down and drips off of the inspection cover. But the leak could also be the oil pan or the oil pressure sensor, or the fittings. Replacing the rear main seal is alot of labor for a $40 part...I know...I replaced the one on my '95 only to find out it was not the source of the leak!

Anyways hang in there. Too bad you do not live nearby....I have time and would offer my help and garage to fix your car.

Good luck.

 

Thank you Lanny, I wish you lived closer too! I am sure you would be more reasonable with labor! Now regarding the rear main seal is just suspect nothing concrete yet. I thank all of you again for your knowledge, because of this forum I did mention to my mechanic well could it be the oil pan? The fitting? ect. I will bring up the rear intake manifold as well. Would this be more labor? Or can you get to it with the heads off? He was not sure at the time regarding the oil leak, because this other situation arose with the head. I had the 2nd set of bolts shipped to him Friday and they should arive Monday. Silly me I thought all you needed was one set of bolts! I got Felpro which my cousin actually told me Edelbrock makes. My mechanic said since he could not get her to fully turn over that I did need the optispark (I questioned this because of the new head situation) it was the original and I hear these are not the greatest and the water pump does end up leaking on the optispark. So we changed the water pump too which was also the original and it should be replaced I was told. I know he is a God fearing man and he has never done me wrong in the past just expensive. I will keep you posted when I hear from him again. I just want my car back! Its been tough and the other car we have is acting up too. The new tire we got decided it was going to leak air at the rim and hopefully we will get to the gas station by the grace of God to put in a temporary stop leak & air and have the brand new tire patched. We were trying to save for another tire because we still have the spare on this car and now the other tire acts up. Besides that car needs brakes all the way around and motor mounts! Oh and it appears to have a rear main seal leak as well. Maybe...Ugh.Trials and more trials. By Gods grace we will get through them all. Thanks again.

 

Are the heads actually off at this point ? or are they still on and it's just speculation that a head is cracked ? A blown head gasket alone can cause all the symptoms you related as to the overheating issue,,here's hoping for the best

 

If the valve covers are leaking, the oil dripping to the bottom of the engine will look like the rear main seal leaking.

You must look to see where the highest point of the leak is.

 

And if there is a rear oil leak, if you don't have the money to do it now....put a pan under your car and check/fill the oil regularly when it gets low.....oil leaks are just oil leaking out somewhere...no need to address it right away.

And your heads should be able to have the valve job done or $250 each.

Three weeks ago, I replaced the radiator cap on mine.....it was the wrong cap and it allowed the water to boil due to not holding pressure (212° boil unless held under pressure) the thing spewed out all the coolant and gave every indication that it was a blown head gasket to all witnessing the replacement water boiling out.....but that's just all it was......it was just heated up past 212° with no pressure.

Once cooled down it ran fine....replace the cap with the proper one and off I go....

My point is that sometimes it isn't the worst. The only thing with your scenario is that you said it wouldn't turn over after it heated up. That's bad...

Your mechanic should at least be able to provide you with a cylinder Pressure reading

 

So where are you located?

I've got stock LT1 Corvette heads out the wazoo sitting in my shed waiting for the day I need them. I could be persuaded to let a pair go inexpensively if you are close to Stone Mtn/Atlanta, GA (or any of the tracks nearby, I'll be at AMP Fri and Road Atl Sat&Sun). they all need tested, cleaned and seals replaced.

 

Ok my fellow Vette enthusiasts heres the latest both cylinder heads are cracked not 1 but 2! Good Lord. My car is supposed to be ready on Friday although I cant pick it up until Monday and I am trying to gather as much money as I can to pay my mechanic and hopefully he will let me make some payments. My cousin is going there Thursday and going to take my old heads and try to get them fixed sell them and then give the money to my mechanic. I am in Orange County California so thank you for the offer of the inexpensive heads you had sitting around. He was able to get two used heads and for everything it will be about 2k. Its mostly all labor for the optispark, water pump, oil change, spark plugs and now obviously the 2 cracked cylinder heads. I pretty much bought all the parts with the exception of the heads and spark plugs myself. I will revisit the oil leak again in a few days. I believe it was just speculation of it being a rear main. So I will use all of your valuable input to ask the questions that were presented. I am keeping the faith here and its bitter sweet because I cant wait to drive my car again but, I wont be able to afford gas or anything else! At least I will be able to look at her out my window though. Thanks again all you wonderful people for your wisdom and help. God Bless.

 

Well I still DO NOT have my car back....He finally did get her up and running and he is happy she is not spewing water all over the place and the radiator is good. The latest is now she is back firing and giving off a map code. He is in the process of back tracking now to find out what the new problem is. I was supposed to get my car back today until this new problem arose. I am really tired of all this I just want my car back. Talk about trials lately got some news at the doctor that I need another surgery, but I am praying it will be all taken care of and that I will not need one. I was raised that there is always someone worse off so I try to keep that in mind to stay positive. If anyone has any idea now after two rebuilt heads have been put on an optispark, plugs, water pump ect.... on why it is doing this I would love to hear your repsonse. God Bless you all & Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

 

The Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor works off of vacuum. Could have a vacuum leak or just a defective sensor.

The wiring connector (and/or wiring) for the MAP sensor could also be faulty.

The MAP sensor is very important in that it gives a signal to the PCM to help monitor the amount of fuel the engine receives.

Your Mass Air Flow sensor also works along with the MAP sensor.

 

If he is a good mechanic this should not happen....but he could have put spark plug wires on wrong plugs. Very easy to check.

 

My car is making him crazy hes coming in today to regroup and try and figure out what is wrong. I had the mass air flow sensor replaced a few years back and this was VERY expensive so I am hoping for something minor and I agree about the plugs with his experience I dont believe this should happen either. I want my car back as much as he wants it out of there. I will keep you all posted and thanks again. You guys are great. Hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are all truly blessed to even have food on the table in these trying times.