Best source for new 1.6L mechanical head?

[mystery3]

I bought a td head which just failed pressure testing and am strongly considering just buying a new one. I've seen a few sites offering them complete in the $500-700 range and am wondering if anyone has any info on where the best place to get one? What about bare heads and reusing the internals I already have?

I've also noticed a few pics that don't have casting marks/numbers on the front of the head; is that an indication that the heads are likely from china? Where are most of them being manufactured these days? Are genuine vw heads available and do they cost a small fortune? Any help/info is appreciated.

[Quantum TD]

If you want OEM, then your only hope is used. And, as you've found out, not all used is good.

Topline makes new heads. I've heard nothing but positive reviews on their heads, but I don't know if the casting quality is the same. They can be found at PartsPlaceInc.com.  Prothe (yeeeeetch) sells AMC. Apparently their castings are ok, but the valvetrain parts suck.

So, pick yer poison.

I'm happy to be wrong, but I am under the impression that ALL mechanical lifter heads are the same. The only difference of which I'm aware, is in the exhaust valves which are sodium-filled on TD heads. Like I said, I'm happy to be wrong. I KNOW they are different in the pre-chambers on later Hydro heads, but I don't know on the mechanical.

Th casting numbers are useless for identification. Of that, I'm certain. Many mech-lift head had the "T" or "F" suffix, but that's not a great identifier.

If I'm right, you can just try to get another mechanical head (TD or NA).

[Alcaid]

Prothe has bare mechanical heads for 283$, quality unknown. There are happy customers on this forum running his AAZ heads so it might be worth a shot?

[mystery3]

I've a mechanical block so I don't really want to go with the aaz head.

Does it make sense to buy a bare casting for ~$300 vs. a full head ready to drop in for ~$550? I don't know if I'm ready to try to build my own head or if I've the time right now to figure it out. How many hours are generally charged to do the assembly with little or no machining?

[maxfax]

Pending how much the shop charges it may be a toss up..  If you're reusing your old valves they will most likely need some grinding.. Last time I opted to swap everything to a bare casting I ended up replacing all the exhaust valves anyhow, so keep that in mind too...

 Did the complete head come with the cam??    If not you may need to do some valve adjusting, will definitely have to when working with a bare head..  Also figure on little things like valve seals and such...

[mystery3]

So as it turns out the aftermarket head that came with the truck is an AMC, which makes both mechanical and hydraulic heads using the same casting (which has two humps ala hydraulic), they just don't drill the second oil drain. So whereas I thought the PO of my truck installed a hydro head on a mech block it turns out it may well be a mech head. Is there any way to tell the difference between the mech and hydro heads aside from the humps? If I pull the valve cover perhaps?

[coke]

Pull the valve cover.  Look under the cam. If its mechanical, there will be shims that are removable in the lifter bucket thingy, if its hydraulic there wont be.   There should also be a notch in the bucket to get a tool in to remove the shim.

[mattbondy]

This might not be the best place for this but I just wanted to post this before I forget. The university of Windsor in Ontario, Canada has an IDI VW diesel cylinder head (probably for a 1.6) sitting in their engine dissection lab. It was not used (for the course that uses this lab) when I took the class 2-3 years ago. I do not know the story behind that head or whether they can or will sell it. I recall looking it over having replaced the cylinder head in my 1.6 (after a stray bolt shredded the time belt) and it was in fine condition. I might be able to dig up an email for someone running that lab if anyone is interested.

[mystery3]

Thanks for the offer but I think international shipping on a head would kill.

It is a mechanical head with two humps. Another way to tell besides the shims is that the second oil drain is not an oil drain, there is no hole where the second hump is.

We'll pull the head and have it checked.