Pulling heads soon

[Osiris]

As some of yall know, my car has compression loss in the #1 cylinder. I was told to pull the heads and look for certain indicators to bad valves or blown rings. Im still kinda fuzzy as to what exactly im looking for though. I would appreciate anyone telling me what signs of things that can go wrong I should be looking for. Also im deciding between rebuild, re-manned and used engines. Any pros and cons i should be looking for when doing my research and general comments are welcome also.

Just so you know. These are the prices ive found on the internet.

rebuilt engine.........................................$16 00 (estimate)
remanned engine...................................$1750 (estimate)
used engine...........................................$ 350 (w/ about 90k miles)
rebuild kit (basic)....................................$350+
rebuild kit (w/ pistons,valves etc.)..........$500+

Thanx-

[89LxiAg]

My first suggestion would be to buy a repair manual and read the section on engine overhaul thoroughly. Chilton's makes a good one, and is the editor that I would recommend.

When you pull the head and clean off the old gasket material, you should check the head for warpage with a precision straight edge. Valves should also be checked for bends, concentricity with the seat, etc. etc.

The list goes on, but you get the idea. The head is one of the most precise pieces of equipment in the car, and a thorough inspection with accurate equipment is necessary for the proper operation after the rebuild.

As far as the question of rebuild kits or remanufactured engines, I assume you aren't in a big hurry to have this car on the road. I would say buy the manual and follow the engine overhaul procedure in detail. If you find only a few things that are out of spec, then I would just replace them and keep the current engine. If the block is damaged and is causing the compression loss, you might have to look into a rebuilt engine.

Before you spend a fortune though, I would start an engine overhaul and make a list of the things that need replacing. Maybe the valve seats need refacing and the pistons need new rings, and that could solve the problem. Good luck and let us know how it goes, pictures are nice too.