Recommendations for place for engine rebuild?

[onthames]

Looking for reliable rebuild place for m20b25

[tha881]

It's worth giving Corry Motor Services a call, based near Berkhamsted.

[LondonTom]

Looking for reliable rebuild place for m20b25

Where are you based?

[onthames]

Colchester, but I'll travel anywhere

[flybynite]

Colchester, but I'll travel anywhere

I'm sure BMR would do a rebuild.

What do you need doing is it a full build or just the machining?

[onthames]

Colchester, but I'll travel anywhere

I'm sure BMR would do a rebuild.

What do you need doing is it a full build or just the machining?

Not particularly interested in going to BMR for my own reasons
Need inspection and refresh. Machining if needed. Head flatted definitely. Hot tank etc

[fixedwheelnut]

Hackengineering have a very good reputation, South Kent/Sussex
https://www.hackengineering.co.uk/

[onthames]

Hackengineering have a very good reputation, South Kent/Sussex
https://www.hackengineering.co.uk/

Cheeers have contacted them

[onthames]

Hi guys, I took the head to corry motor services and they have pressure tested it and say its cracked. Although I had no water in the oil etc. Thoughts on AMC heads? I am off to verify that the head is actually cracked on monday.

[flybynite]

Hi guys, I took the head to corry motor services and they have pressure tested it and say its cracked. Although I had no water in the oil etc. Thoughts on AMC heads? I am off to verify that the head is actually cracked on monday.

IIRC they don't have the weakness that the originals had so less prone to cracking. They do not flow as well as the original and need quite a bit of work to make the same power. Once done however, it is probably the best solution you can get.

[onthames]

Hi guys, I took the head to corry motor services and they have pressure tested it and say its cracked. Although I had no water in the oil etc. Thoughts on AMC heads? I am off to verify that the head is actually cracked on monday.

IIRC they don't have the weakness that the originals had so less prone to cracking. They do not flow as well as the original and need quite a bit of work to make the same power. Once done however, it is probably the best solution you can get.

When you say work do you mean port matching? Or more

[flybynite]

When you say work do you mean port matching? Or more

I think they need work everywhere, but while you are at it you can improve it over the standard 885 head.

Guys at Corry should know, they have worked with and sold AMC heads for years.

[tha881]

These photos may be of some use. I'm running one of these AMC heads and the car goes very well. It went better after fitting although it did have a new cam, rockers etc

It's possible that Corrys opened up the ports a bit anyway looking at the photo, but there really isn't much difference in the openings either these as an example. I do wish I took closer photos of the ports.

Regards to the crack, there could be a hairline crack appearing before you get mixing fluids. The AMC will generally be a safer bet, but if you are adamant on keeping it oem then inspect your 885 and make your own decision. The 885 is preferable for originality, a new AMC for longevity, it's not an easy decision

[onthames]

These photos may be of some use. I'm running one of these AMC heads and the car goes very well. It went better after fitting although it did have a new cam, rockers etc


20190814_193027.jpg


20190814_192245.jpg


It's possible that Corrys opened up the ports a bit anyway looking at the photo, but there really isn't much difference in the openings either these as an example. I do wish I took closer photos of the ports.

Regards to the crack, there could be a hairline crack appearing before you get mixing fluids. The AMC will generally be a safer bet, but if you are adamant on keeping it oem then inspect your 885 and make your own decision. The 885 is preferable for originality, a new AMC for longevity, it's not an easy decision

Thanks for much for info. What cam and rockers etc did you use? I mean a crack is a crack, I can't keep running the 885 so I'll go AMC.

[tha881]

I replaced the cam and rockers with brand new febi-bilstein, c3bmw usually stock them. The other option is a fast road cam from newman which can use standard springs. I think piper or schrick may need uprated springs, I'm not 100% sure

I've always felt the standard b25 is quick enough on the road, so I decided to keep mine stock

[onthames]

I replaced the cam and rockers with brand new febi-bilstein, c3bmw usually stock them. The other option is a fast road cam from newman which can use standard springs. I think piper or schrick may need uprated springs, I'm not 100% sure

I've always felt the standard b25 is quick enough on the road, so I decided to keep mine stock

Awesome, did you do anything else other t han cam rockers?

[tha881]

As it was a new head it came with new valve guides. The valves and springs were fine to re-use after a clean. Also new valve stem seals, rocker shafts, 12 rocker retaining clips, camshaft seal and the d plugs

It's worth getting a Goetze head gasket if you can, autodoc usually stock them. There is a video on youtube that shows they are equivalent to the older oem gasket and not the ones bmw now supply

Out of interest how much of the engine build are they doing and how much of the build are you doing yourself?

[onthames]

As it was a new head it came with new valve guides. The valves and springs were fine to re-use after a clean. Also new valve stem seals, rocker shafts, 12 rocker retaining clips, camshaft seal and the d plugs

It's worth getting a Goetze head gasket if you can, autodoc usually stock them. There is a video on youtube that shows they are equivalent to the older oem gasket and not the ones bmw now supply


20190814_192106.jpg



20190814_191243.jpg


Out of interest how much of the engine build are they doing and how much of the build are you doing yourself?

Thanks for all of that very much appreciated. They will be reassembling the head for me and the block but not mating the two. I'll be doing the rest. Fortunately there is a wealth of knowledge on the internet.

[tha881]

Head bolts arent difficult and neither is the cambelt assembly. They probably wouldnt charge you anymore to fit the head back on but at least this way you get a bit more involvement. Only thing left really I can advise is do not forget the dowels that go in the block to position the head. Other than that just be sure to post plenty of pics

[onthames]

Head bolts arent difficult and neither is the cambelt assembly. They probably wouldnt charge you anymore to fit the head back on but at least this way you get a bit more involvement. Only thing left really I can advise is do not forget the dowels that go in the block to position the head. Other than that just be sure to post plenty of pics

I'll be fitting all the ancillaries too, and seals, oil pump, oil filter housing, intake, etc etc. Am currently rebuilding the oil pump
I'll post lots of pics here and on my instagram e30calver

[onthames]

Here's some photos and i'm trying to identity all the parts I need to aquire.

oil filter housing
11421265670 1 o ring
11429059338 1 gasket set
7119963441 1
11421714764 1

engine seals gaskets etc
11111730875 1 https://www.autodoc.co.uk/elring/208500 block gasket kit
12611277602 1 3X42,3
07119963151 1 A12X17-CU
11141269557 1
11141287846 1


11129059240 1 https://www.autodoc.co.uk/elring/207895 cylinder head gasket kit