Replace heads?

[RobertFord]

Hi Everyone,

I have a '91 4.0 OHV with (I suspect) about 240k on the clock. It has been consuming coolant for a while, without any signs of leakage.

I can buy some new '95tm heads (which I think will work on the '91 block, right?) including head gasket for about $150 each.

Should I pull the heads and only replace the gaskets (will save me about $75 each side), and risk finding out my heads are cracked, or just replace the heads?

Rocker arms, pushrods and upper intake/valve cover manifold have already been bought for an in-progress update. I would only need additional lower intake gasket and head-bolts, right? Totalling the costs at about $350 when replacing heads, or $200 when pulling heads and just replacing the gasket.

Looking forward to some know how from you guys.

Regards,

 

[aspevacek]

You can pull the heads and have a machine shop pressure test them and then clean them up. I am sure in the long run it would be alot cheaper then just buying a pair of heads and not really needing them. I personally have not heard alot of heads cracking on the 4.0l.