Stage 3 Head..

[Golf_GTI_16v]

Hi guys, this is my first thread and from what ive been reading it sounds like you all know what your talking about... So i hope you can help...

Ive got the opportunity to but a refurbished stage 3 head for my 16v GTI 1990. Its nice and smoove and polished... i hope thats a sufficent description...

I have a 3-2-1 manifold on the car already.. My question is, is it worth buying for £250.. and will it make a difference in performance? if so how much???

Thanks guys..

[fused]

...

I have a 3-2-1 manifold on the car already.. My question is, is it worth buying for £250.. and will it make a difference in performance? if so how much???

Thanks guys..

probably a 4-2-1 or 4-1? the head if done properly will help to smooth air flow into the head but maybe more importantly is to help the exhaust escape quicker, which also helps draw air in! any high milage head would benifit a shiny new head! check to see if new valve guides and oil seals were fitted when it was rebuilt.

you may notice slightly more power top end.

£250 is a good price, even compared to standard rebuilds off the shelf, is it new or how many miles on it?

http://www.tsr-performance.com/pages/heads16v.asp

[Golf_GTI_16v]

Cheers mate, it is brand new, the guy apparently paid 750 for it but as he needs the money and i know him his letting it go for £250. My car has 139,000 miles on it but the bottom end was rebuilt 3 years ago....  its a 4-2-1 like you said.

Thanks again...

Do you know how much it cost to fit it and is their alot of work involved?

[Diamond Hell]

That sounds like a bargain.

It'll cost you a head gasket, head bolts and set of various other seals to fit it - shouldn't be much more than £50.

If it's a 'stage 3' you want to know whether it's been on a flow bench and if you can see figures for before and after.  Unless it's been on a bench it's all pretty worthless modification, as you aren't really getting the full benefit, especially you won't know where the benefit is.

Unless it's got a slightly tasty set of cams in it you're not going  see the benefits of a seriously re-worked head.  You will also need your fueling re-set up with the head in.  Find out who did the work and pick up the phone to them for a chat - let them guide you with regards to set up, as they will know what the modifications were set up to work with in the first place.

[paultownsend]

you need to see what size valves were fitted, i believe fitting larger valve on a kr head is quite hard to do due the valves being close together.  i believe stage 3 normally involves valve work, stage 1 is a p&p, so whats stage 2?

[Diamond Hell]

Stage 1 = 3 angle valve seat and de-shroud, with maybe light port work.  I got 10% better flow recorded on mine, plus a much smoother air flow through the motor as the valve open.
Stage 2 = Porting and matched manifolds.  As I understand it you would be looking at about 40% better flow over standard.
Stage 3 = big valve job.

Although all this is open to interpretation, as I'm certainly not aware of any clearly defined ISO standards for stages of head work on petrol engines.....

[Golf_GTI_16v]

Cheers guys, thats alot to take in..

I spoke to the guy selling, apparently its had a bench test for compression but not performance, didnt remember what the results were off the top of his head, and the valves have been ported and polished to the maximum possible size.

If diamond hell is right then it sounds like its gonna be a BIG job.