can a head 'boss' be repaired?

"Mel P." <mpernice95.DeleteThis@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:C9mnk.633$xv.486@trnddc02...
>I have a 2 year old head which I damaged when I was removing it. I didn't
>realize that one of the nuts wasn't loosened. I ended up cracking the
>casting. Can I repair it somehow?
>
> Take a look at the photos at the following link to see what I'm trying to
> explain:
>
>
> http://melsvws.4t.com/cgi-bin/photoalbum/view_album/125264
>
>

a good welder could weld up the hole... but then it would have to be
machined... by the time you get through that, you'd likely come out better
to order a new head...
 >> Stay informed about: can a head 'boss' be repaired? 

On Aug 9, 12:24 pm, "Mel P." <mpernic... DeleteThis @verizon.net> wrote:
> Can I repair it somehow?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sure. Any VW head can be repaired. Drill out the fractured portion
and, working from both sides, using TIG, rebuild the depth of metal.
Then move over to the mill and re-machine the chamber. When you have
two identical chamber, flip the head over and use a suitable spot-
facer to machine the floor of the bolt-hole socket.. Remember, this
socket (and the washer that goes there) must form an oil seal -- you
want a nice finish. Finally, using a jig or triangulated
measurements, locate the hole and drill through.

Big shops have special jigs & tooling that allows them to overhaul a
head at minimum cost. Even so, they generally wait until they have a
hundred or more which they process as batch. This keeps the cost-per-
head low enough to show a profit.

So while the answer to your question is 'yes,' it comes with several
qualifiers that turns it into a 'no.' (Why? Because if you had the
tools, experience, TIGer and so on, you would have already repaired
the thing.)

Toss it. Buy another.

-Bob Hoover
 >> Stay informed about: can a head 'boss' be repaired? 

I guess I will say this..............You used some force to crack that head!

I have several rebuildable heads, but I usually get new heads cheaper than
rebuilding my cylinder heads.
Are you close to someone that might have some for you?

Mofoco purchased all of Topline's aircooled, and maybe water-cooled,
cylinder head machinery so they "could" do the work, if you wanted them to
do it for you.
Remco, I think, is another place that could do the work.

This is NOT a Porsche 356 cylinder head so why not buy new?
I do not think that JB Weld will work on it, although there are some welding
rods that you use with a propane torch that impressed me! <g>
But then you need to machine it afterwards. Are you up to the challenge and
is this just for fun? Or you want a very reliable engine?
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

"Mel P." <mpernice95.DeleteThis@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:C9mnk.633$xv.486@trnddc02...
>I have a 2 year old head which I damaged when I was removing it. I didn't
>realize that one of the nuts wasn't loosened. I ended up cracking the
>casting. Can I repair it somehow?
>
> Take a look at the photos at the following link to see what I'm trying to
> explain:
>
>
> http://melsvws.4t.com/cgi-bin/photoalbum/view_album/125264
>
>
> thanx,
> --
> Mel P.
>
> parts for sale http://melsvws.4t.com/vwparts/index.htm
> 77 Bug - stock FI http://melsvws.4t.com/77bug/index.htm
> 70 KG Cabrio http://melsvws.4t.com/70ghia/index.htm
>
 >> Stay informed about: can a head 'boss' be repaired? 

I have the equipment to do it, but would still just buy another. That's a
weird stress fracture, and the other bosses may be next.
 >> Stay informed about: can a head 'boss' be repaired?