NW Area Head Rebuild? ~ And general thoughts

[Infidel Edition]

My head gasket is starting to "wheep" oil. Very subtle = like sweat on block below the gasket. But I'm not burning through oil or anything. Maybe 1/2 qt per 500 mi. road trip - but definitely within the next 5,000-10,000 miles...
Also, the lower bolt hole for the water nozzle is cracked in 1/2 with the lower chunk MIA... so I can't torque too much and when it gets up to temp, it drips on the belts and starts chirping!
~ nothing that'll deadline the engine by any means

So a friend in southern OR swapped out his engine last summer and gave me his '89 cast iron head (free).
I had already picked up a set of head bolts (forget where I found 'em), head gasket and intake/exhaust gaskets... to pull mine and replace the gaskets and clean it up.

My plan was to bust out the dremel and steel brush and clean it up / polish out any rough spots...
maybe pick up new valves / springs / rocker arms / stem seals ($100 +/-)

I want to (at a min.) get it milled & before installed, pressure tested too.

Anyone recommend a good shop in the NW?
...and idea on cost?

**otherwise, RockAuto has a rebuilt head with valves and springs ready to bolt in for just over $300 (+shipping)
***or I could simply keep mine and try to deal with that lower bolt hole and ....

Thoughts on rebuild vs. replace vs. reman?

[Infidel Edition]

Not just a good shop in the Portland area ~

...thoughts on getting using the current head vs. the donor?

as well as vs. the cost of a reman?

[Brasscatz]

I don't see a problem using the donor one as long as you have it checked for cracks and such. Hate to do a job twice...

[XJ Wheeler]

X2 on getting it checked and using a used head. A good machine shop should be able to magnaflux test it for cracks and check the mounting surface for straightness as well as machine it should it need done. May even rebuild it for you... depends on the shop.

Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.

[ArmyGuy45]

How to change Jeep 4.0 Cylinder Head - YouTube

You could get the head Clearwater in Florida.

[Infidel Edition]

How to change Jeep 4.0 Cylinder Head - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29I5fNAv-8M)

You could get the head Clearwater in Florida.

I've caught / watched that one a couple times.
I'm confident that I can remove and replace the head...
I just don't have everything to mil / test the replacement.

[ArmyGuy45]

I've caught / watched that one a couple times.
I'm confident that I can remove and replace the head...
I just don't have everything to mil / test the replacement.

I gather from the video that the head was ready to install out of the box.

[NW99XJ]

I would prob go with the replacement.
You could always port and polish the one you have, and re-install it later......

[Infidel Edition]

I gather from the video that the head was ready to install out of the box.

The head he was installing was bolt in ready.
The head I have (not the current head, but the donor head) needs to be checked before I pull my current head for the swap...

Once the head is good to go, it's just a bolt torque sequence and remembering how to put it all back together ...