the head i was going to get built ended up being cracked so now im looking for a new one. Even leads are very much appreciated. thank you.
where are you located? there's a TC or 2 in a yard near me
in located near seattle.
im*
yikes.. complete opposite side of the country
Using an N/A head from a Mustang or a Ranger is the way to go, unless you happen to find someone selling a turbo D-port that's already been magnafluxed. I've had zero luck pulling turbo heads in the junkyards. They've all been cracked. At the very least, make sure the yard you go to has a return policy so if the head mags out bad you take it back and get another.
what causes these heads to crack and where do they normally crack at?
They primarily like to crack between the valves, usually starting on the exhaust seat. They also crack in the bowl area, and from the spark plug hole out to the exhaust seat. Judging from the primary source of cracking being the exhast seat, I'd have to say extreme heat.
I personally never shut my car down if the fans are running. If they're close to turning on, I'll wait for them to come on and then go off before I shut the car off.
I started a thread on another 2.3 forum about where they crack, with pics...
http://turborangerforums.com/showthread.php?t=2717
i got the head back and almost every valve seat is cracked.... Im going to shoot it wiith a gun now...
Yep, been there, done that. Got one just like that in the shed just to remind me why I don't bother to pull the turbo heads in the junkyard.