If you have bent valves, does that nessecarily mean the head it damaged? Or does it all depend. What do i look for on the head to tell if the actual head is messed up. Also when replacing bent valves, are the valves all you have to replace or is there more.
Thinking about buying a head with bent valves but don't wanna buy something too jacked up.

 

Yes, bent valves is all that can and will be done in most circumstances, it depends on many things though, one of which is what type of head is it. But more importantly is the information that the seller might not tell you the truth on, is that if say....the driver went 1st, 2nd,3rd,2nd and stuck a B16 or GSR through the roof like to 11 or 12 grand but then pulled off almost instantaneously, than yea, more than likely all he got was a few tapped valves, and that is all that will need to be replaced. But if in the same scanerio, the driver did not let throw the clutch back in and just set there letting the piston beat the hell out of the valves then he could have gotten a valve guide too, those can be replaced too. But lets say that the driver wasnt racing the car or on it hard at all, and the timing belt let go, then some of the valves could be stuck way down in the cylinders and then the same thing, if the motor was allowed to keep turning, then the piston is just gonna keep going up to TDC and beating the hell out of the valves that are still down in the cylinder, this will crack valve guides. The only way that there could be severe "head damage" is if A. he didnt bend but rather cracked or shatterd a valve then the valve seat could have become damaged, but keep in mind this is not likely, not likely at all. or B. the [person who removed the head was a moron and didnt take the head bolts out in the proper seguence, in that case, the head could be warped, but unless it is severly warped, most head shops can mill it to fix the problem at a pretty inexpensive price. And have the head checked and cleaned by a head shop no matter what before it goes on the car. But it all really boils down to money, if your getting a good deal on the head, then take a chance with it, chances are it will just need some new valves and possibly some valve guides. And if its a H series head, those are very prone to cracking guides by the way.

 

Have it checked out before you buy it!