So my timing belt snapped on me the other day and bent some valves. I'm going to fix this myself so what would be easier to do for a rookie that hasnt done either before, pull the whole motor and swap in a replacment or just pull the head and put a new head on? The motor swap actually seems easier to me, cracking the motor apart kinda scares me. I only have about a week to do this and all I have is a buddy with no experience either and a helms manual. The car is a 90' GS with a B18A and the motor I will either be swapping in or just taking the head off of is a B18B.

So which method of fixing this should be easier for someone who hasnt done either before?

 

ill problly remove the head cuz swap takes longer to get the engine out and stuff

 

depending on your mileage i would consider swaping, cause a valve job is gonna set you back what a good used ls motor with around 75k, around 400 bucks,
besides a head swap is more technical than a eingine swap in my opinion, ive done both several times and a full swap doesnt take me that much longer if any

 

oh and if you got a head to pull already consider the fact you gotta do everything twice. and pulling cams, manifolds and the side of the engine is harder than a simpler unbolt and rebolt engine removal, if you gotta a helms and patients you will be alright

 

too the OP: if your on a budget, and aren't looking to upgrade i'd say pull the head. start searching in your area for a used b18a head. this will save you $ in the end. if you wanna upgrade, then swap it is, but you will be taking apart a lot more stuff. the helms is the way to go for manuals though.

good luck man. trust me, you can do it, it's really not that hard.

 

i got express install and they wanted 1500 for an ls motor and labor. eh, i had no choice really. got it the next day. reseda engines if your in ca.

 

i was the same way when i had to do the headgasket. i didnt know wut i was doing. but its not that hard at all. if it was me i would get a different head and swap it. considering you have a week to do this swap the head. it took me 4 hours to take the head off without knowing wut i was doing. but it worked out fine so im sure u and ur buddy will be able to do it.