How to Verify a good head (SMD)

You could get it Magnafluxed and pressure tested, but you might rapidly get nearly as much money in testing as the head itself is worth.

You're selling a 50 year old piece of cast iron. A visual inspection for cracks should satisfy most buyers. Somebody who's good at welding cast iron generally costs less than some of the fancy testing places I've dealt with.

just 2 cents.

Steve

Magnafluxing is fast and easy. I even did it myself at the last place I worked. We had the equipment.

You're right. Never owned a SMD, so no reason to price a head for one. Guess they are a bit rare. $1,000 bucks still seems kind of salty - but supply and demand makes the world go 'round.

My guesstimate was based on about 60 bucks an hour shop rate and doing both magnaflux and the pressure check. They're gonna want to clean it, then do the magnaflux, then do the pressure check. Most places around here are happy to see you if you walk in with something like 350 Chevy parts. Anything else and they start shaking their heads mumbling about not knowing if they can do that or not -- which I translate to mean it's gonna take longer and cost more. An IH head sure fits in the "I dunno 'bout that" catagory. So I figured at least 2 hours at 60 bucks or 120 bucks. That goes a long way on a head I figured at 300 to 500 bucks.

Your price for the head and having the equipment to do it puts a dent my numbers. Do you think those 1,000 dollar heads come with some testing documentation, or are guys just happy to be able to find one -- and willing to deal with any cracks later on with some welding?

Steve