Any experience with an Ivor Searle Head/engine?

[ChasR]

As above. I am contemplating buying a head off them for the work car (Mondeo in the signature). They seem to quote a semi-reasonable price (£420 delivered) for a recon head. Are they any good or are they best avoided?

I plan to get a quote from the local machining shops (on the Alfa a figure of £380 came to mind with a 2 week wait), although I am assuming my head is salvageable.

[grumpy]

Can't say from persional experience but they have been around for donkeys years i think . Have you also considered that for £300 more you can get a brand new ford crate engine with all of the brand new ancilliaries ,clutch ,injection loom etc from a kit car building place ? Just a suggestion as once you figure time off removing and fitting head , plus gaskets bolts studs , skinned knuckles , swearing etc .

[ChasR]

A secondhand Duratec HE engine is around £300+ and from experience can be an unknown quantity. A new Ford bottom end (short engine) from memory is not far off £1k. Asking around £1.5k up will get me a rebuilt engine of a certain quality (some prices are fitted). If you can point me in the direction of getting a crate engine for the price you say, whereabouts are you thinking?

I did consider a new car (I can appreciate it will not be cheap but being a work car, any new car has to be less than 5 years old when first used for work, which is more than I wish to spend for now.

I may be in luck. On the assumption that just the exhaust valves are gone (I will not know until the head is off) I am looking at around £200(ish) to have the head refurbished (for changing 8 exhaust valves/seats and refacing the head etc.).

FWIW the 1.8 in my signature has lost compression on two cylinders. Oil made zero difference. They came back as (PSi):

1: 140
2: 210
3: 20
4: 210

[onearmydillo]

I've never fitted any of there parts but I dealt with them alot through my old job in a motor factors. They had a good reputation with my customers and 99% went without any problems at all. Any warranty issues that came up they always sorted out even when dubious circumstances where obviously involved.

[kenb]

Apr 5, 2013 7:11:09 GMT ChasR said:

If you can point me in the direction of getting a crate engine for the price you say, whereabouts are you thinking?

www.kitpartsdirect.com/item.php/store/88/c1/339/c2/3852/sn/FZ-20/w/Ford_Zetec_Black_Top_2.0L_Engine_New

This is not the only place doing them either. Kit car/sports car place in/near Newark doing them as well same sort of price. Forgotten their name at moment. I'll post it later if it comes to me.

[ChasR]

Without trying to sound ungrateful the above link is for the Zetec engines, not the Duratec HEs which are quite different and more like the Mazda units (all alloy engine, cam chain etc.). I was hoping that would have been the ticket as well !

[grumpy]

Sorry didnt realise it was duratec and not a zetec .

[kenb]

Yea sorry from me too I didnt realise thats what you were after either specifically either, I saw Duratec mentioned but thought you were thinking as alternative.

[penrhynrallycentre]

Buy with confidence dammed good company with Quality product they get my vote holehartidly

Dave

[Rev. Dick Deluxe]

Been fitting ivor Searle heads for years, never had a single comeback.

[pug309gti]

hi I work at Ivor searles, if I can help in anyway feel free to contact me
Alex

[welshpug]

I use a local firm, they charge £35 for skim, £35 for pressure test, a little bit for a hot wash, plus labour for fitting stem seals etc if you're taking it that far, seat cutting etc.

had quite a few pug/citroen XU10J4RS heads done by them between £100 and £130, next day turnaround typically too.