Can this be save ?, Cylinder Head and Cylinder Jug Options

[young55961]

I removed the cylinder heads today and found some metal damage in the #1 combustion chamber.

Can this head be repaired?

There is a machine shop near me that does cylinder head repairs, but I'm not sure if they have experience repairing these Type 4 heads. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good machine shop in the Los Angeles area?



I also found heavy scoring in the #4 cylinder. The cylinder wall is very rough.



I think I'll need a new piston and cylinder set.

I measured the piston at 93.3 mm, which I believe is the stock size for a 2.0L engine.

I'm looking at this kit. Is this the correct one for a stock 2.0L?

https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/12512365-AA-1...uxoC63oQAvD_BwE

[Chad911sc]

You could take those cylinders and have them bored to 96mm and buy some Keith Black pistons. Make it a 2056 and get a bit more power safely. Those heads can be saved by a cylinder head shop, they don’t look too bad. Looks like they could be fly cut and clean them up. It will make your compression go up higher, but you can offset that with your deck height.

[young55961]

After doing more research, I think it's better to buy a new set.

First, the machine shop quoted me **$350 per head** just for the rebuild, and that doesn't include any additional machine work.

Second, these don't appear to be the original heads. They have **4 intake studs**, and if the cylinders are **93 mm**, I believe they're from a **1.8L** engine, while my engine number indicates it's a **2.0L**. I think I'll end up creating a bigger mess if I try to save them.

Can anyone recommend a good source to buy the correct heads and cylinders?

Thank you!

[Montreal914]

Very wide question.
What are you trying to achieve?
What makes you think this is a 2 liter base?
A 2 liter has 71mm stroke and 94mm bore.
Did you check the stroke of your crankshaft?

[emerygt350]

You have a range of options from cheap to crazy expensive. I went with AA sleeves and pistons for a 2056. Heads are going to be expensive so you may want to shop around for repairing the 1.8s you have. I assume your tin is for the 1.8 as well so I would probably stick with them. Other people will chime in soon.

[Jack Standz]

"Can anyone recommend a good source to buy the correct heads and cylinders?"

As we all know, 914s haven't been built for 50+ years. So, the answer is there is no source for "the correct heads and cylinders". And most, if not all, machinists no longer rebuild 2 liter heads because they won't last (prone to cracks by the plugs and exhaust valves).

But, we are very fortunate that companies like AMC and AA Pistons manufacture and import new parts. And Southern California has competent companies that can rebuild Type IV motors. But, you will find that 914 motor builds can be quite expensive. Be ready for sticker shock. However, what we did earlier this year was to take some brand new bare 2 liter heads and build up heads with the valve sizes and other features we wanted. This also allowed us to build in higher quality valves, seats, guides, etc.

Figure out what you need (for example, are you still using the original fuel injection system?) then contact the vendors you have researched to see what's available or possible. BTW tins for a 2 liter head use different ones than a 1.8 liter motor. And 2 liter tins are quite hard to find. So, you'll need to decide whether you're using 1.8 or 2 liter heads.

Best wishes!

One more thought. That head doesn't look like it has any meaningful damage. If the valves aren't leaking, why not run it? Even if the valves are leaking, it could probably be repaired (check for cracks). Do you have any history on the motor? It looks to be a low compression motor (dished pistons). If it was from a bus, just know that bus motors live a hard life and new parts will likely be the better way forward.

[Jamie]

[quote name='young55961' post='3262504' date='Jun 23 2026, 01:54 PM']
I removed the cylinder heads today and found some metal damage in the #1 combustion chamber.

Can this head be repaired?

There is a machine shop near me that does cylinder head repairs, but I'm not sure if they have experience repairing these Type 4 heads. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good machine shop in the Los Angeles area?



I also found heavy scoring in the #4 cylinder. The cylinder wall is very rough.



I think I'll need a new piston and cylinder set.

I measured the piston at 93.3 mm, which I believe is the stock size for a 2.0L engine.
This looks like someone tried to repair cylinder wall damage with JB Weld and polish out the surface!
I'm looking at this kit. Is this the correct one for a stock 2.0L?


This cylinder wall looks like someone attempted to patch scoring with JB Weld and polish out the surface! Appears to be the same cylinder with scoring on the head from loose metal as seen in your photo.

[barefoot]

I removed the cylinder heads today and found some metal damage in the #1 combustion chamber.

Can this head be repaired?

There is a machine shop near me that does cylinder head repairs, but I'm not sure if they have experience repairing these Type 4 heads. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good machine shop in the Los Angeles area?



I also found heavy scoring in the #4 cylinder. The cylinder wall is very rough.



I think I'll need a new piston and cylinder set.

I measured the piston at 93.3 mm, which I believe is the stock size for a 2.0L engine.

I'm looking at this kit. Is this the correct one for a stock 2.0L?

That cylinder head damage does not look bad at all. Clean all the carbon off and examine for any cracks. Those little indentions can be polished out. You do need new cylinders/pistons and use some lapping compound and rotate the cylinders into the heads to insure a complete sealing surface.

Barefoot

[young55961]

This is my 1975 2.0L. I bought it about seven years ago. At the time, I thought it only needed some minor bodywork and a new set of carbs. I figured I could have it on the road within a year.

Instead, I ended up stripping the car down to bare metal, replacing both floor pans, repairing the infamous "hell hole," rebuilding the worn suspension, fixing electrical issues, and much more.

Now it's finally time to work on the engine.

Do I know the history of this engine? No, I don't. The minute I handed the seller the money, he disappeared and never responded again. I was even worried about the title until I finally received the pink slip. Fortunately, it has a clean title.

The engine wouldn't start when I first got the car. I changed the oil, adjusted the valves, completely cleaned the carbs, and filled it with fresh fuel. It started surprisingly easily after only a few cranks, but it smoked badly. I tried adjusting the carbs, but it didn't make much difference. I knew the engine would eventually need work, and I was hoping it was only worn piston rings.

My main goal for this engine is to convert it back from dual carbs to the original D-Jet fuel injection. I'm not trying to build a high-performance engine.

After doing some more inspection, here's what I found:

* I measured the stroke at approximately 73 mm with the cylinder shims installed. The shims measure about 0.5 mm thick.
* The pistons are AA Performance, either 93 mm or 93.95 mm (I'm not completely sure).



The engine number starts with **GC**, so I believe it's an original 2.0L case. Can anyone tell if this appears to be the original stock crankshaft?



I cleaned the combustion chambers. Please take a look. Is it okay to smooth out those dents with sandpaper, or should I leave them alone?



At this point, it seems like the best option is to install a new 2056 cc piston and cylinder set and reuse these heads if they're still serviceable.

Am I overlooking anything?

I'm already well over my original budget, and I don't want to make another expensive mistake. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Billy

[Jack Standz]

Possibly a '75 or '76 bus motor. Is there a dipstick or blocked off area between the alternator and fan? Looks to be a 71mm stroke by 94 mm (93.95mm) or 1,971cc motor, those are the specifications for a stock 2 liter Type IV motor.

If it is a bus motor, it's not a real problem for running it and having fun.

Really would inspect that area you showed of the suspect cylinder. Might be tempted to just hone the cylinders lightly, install new rings, lap the valves and run it. But, that's not you. Do what you think is best.

[Nogoodwithusernames]

Do you have any automotive machine shops near you? I had my cylinders honed a few years back in my 1.7 and for all was just over $100. (I kept stock size just fresh crosshatch, boring out might cost slightly more?)

Call around some shops nearby, you can probably save some money. The OE cylinders are good quality, I would prefer those than AA cylinders.

[914sgofast2]

Empi, AMC and AA Performance all sell new cylinder heads complete with valves and springs; a couple of them might also sell just bare heads. Since your current heads have 4 studs in the intake manifold area, that means they are not 2 Liter Porsche 914 heads, but instead probably VW Bus heads from a Bus with a 2 liter engine. I say that because the piston photos show what look to me to be the lower compression VW Bus pistons. With all that said, I would not worry about the little nicks in the combustion chamber shown in your photos, as others have stated above. If you are on a budget, just disassemble the heads and clean them up, then lap the valves to the heads. If your budget allows, I also would replace all four exhaust valves, at a minimum.

[914sgofast2]

If you are on a really tight budget, I would just buy and install that piston and cylinder kit you found.
It's very easy for all of us keyboard mechanics (including me) to say buy this or buy that expensive parts combination when it is someone else's money. Don't fall victim to the "while I am in here, let's replace this too" disease and start replacing things. In addition, it is difficult to find any type of quality automotive machine shop these days to work on even a simple Chevrolet V8 engine, let alone find one which knows the ins and out of the Type 4 engines used in Porsche 914's.
If all you want is just a street engine without any modifications, then just buy the AA piston set, lap the valves in each cylinder head, and be on your way. You are not trying to build a Jake Raby quality level high performance engine that will last 200,000 miles.

[914sgofast2]

In looking closer at the photo of the head in question, it looks like it still has the thin metal "cylinder head gasket/sealing ring" stuck in the head. Those rings should be removed when the heads are cleaned up. VW issued a technical service bulletin about deleting those head gasket sealing rings back in 1980 or 1981. People now just lap the cylinder barrels to the head with valve lapping paste to make a clean sealing area for the barrel against the head when everything is tightened up to torque specifications.

[young55961]

Possibly a '75 or '76 bus motor. Is there a dipstick or blocked off area between the alternator and fan? Looks to be a 71mm stroke by 94 mm (93.95mm) or 1,971cc motor, those are the specifications for a stock 2 liter Type IV motor.

If it is a bus motor, it's not a real problem for running it and having fun.

Really would inspect that area you showed of the suspect cylinder. Might be tempted to just hone the cylinders lightly, install new rings, lap the valves and run it. But, that's not you. Do what you think is best.

Not sure about the blocked off area.

[young55961]

In looking closer at the photo of the head in question, it looks like it still has the thin metal "cylinder head gasket/sealing ring" stuck in the head. Those rings should be removed when the heads are cleaned up. VW issued a technical service bulletin about deleting those head gasket sealing rings back in 1980 or 1981. People now just lap the cylinder barrels to the head with valve lapping paste to make a clean sealing area for the barrel against the head when everything is tightened up to torque specifications.

You're right.

There is a ring.



So, do I need to reinstall those rings?

[Shivers]

In looking closer at the photo of the head in question, it looks like it still has the thin metal "cylinder head gasket/sealing ring" stuck in the head. Those rings should be removed when the heads are cleaned up. VW issued a technical service bulletin about deleting those head gasket sealing rings back in 1980 or 1981. People now just lap the cylinder barrels to the head with valve lapping paste to make a clean sealing area for the barrel against the head when everything is tightened up to torque specifications.

You're right.

There is a ring.



So, do I need to reinstall those rings?

No, you do not need those. Some lapping compound and some elbow grease.

[DRPHIL914]

In looking closer at the photo of the head in question, it looks like it still has the thin metal "cylinder head gasket/sealing ring" stuck in the head. Those rings should be removed when the heads are cleaned up. VW issued a technical service bulletin about deleting those head gasket sealing rings back in 1980 or 1981. People now just lap the cylinder barrels to the head with valve lapping paste to make a clean sealing area for the barrel against the head when everything is tightened up to torque specifications.

You're right.

There is a ring.



So, do I need to reinstall those rings?

no, the official Porsche and VW instructions are not to use gasket/shim here.

some still do but its not recommended.

[burton73]

If I where you I would take the parts to Jorge at European Motorworks in Hawthorne,
310 644 8038
Jorge is a very nice guy and he can help you out on deciding what to do with your parts. Price is good and he will answer all your questions. Your Machinist is your best friend during you rebuild. Trying to save money in some areas may not be smart. Jorge will be your Buddie and steer you right. He has parts

Best Bob B

[cgnj]

I didn't think that was a 2.0 head from the picture. The 93.3 mm. piston measurement seems pretty small, but the rods appear to be 2.0 rods. I attached a picture of 1.8 rods.

If you are thinking of replacing the P&C you should go 96mm.

EMS is right down the road from you. Call Jorge.