Can you recommend me a machine shop near Tacoma?
 

It's time to find a few more ponies for the 'ol race engine and I plan on taking my cylinder heads in to get cleaned up and refreshed (mill the head, replace guides, clean up seats).

Anyone have a good recommendation for a machine shop?

Not local, but i would try reaching out to PRE in Portland and see if they can do headwork there. i know Steve is working there and he built my 700hp EJ

I'm sure you'll find someone closer but I'll endorse C's Automotive Machine down here in the Couve. Really glad I found them years ago. Wish I had enough work to be a regular customer. The owner is super patient with newbs and loves to talk shop.

Might want to check with Drift Office in Auburm, WA and see if they have a shop they would recommend if they themselves don't do it in house.

I have 2 leads locally and 2 from here. I think I'm in good hands. Once my short block comes in and it's time for me to pull my engine, I'll start making calls and follow up here on who did the work and the outcome so others can use that as a lead for their own future needs.

Update:

I took the heads to Auburn Auto Machine. They did the full monty (to the OEM spec). Took a few thou off the head, ground the valve seats, set the valve lash to (tight) book spec, assembled the valve train and resurfaced the flywheel. The head grind was impeccable - a mirror finish.



After taxes it was $3033. The valve lash was quite a bit in labor and assembly. If I did this again, I would remove the valvetrain myself and take in naked heads with valves and then do lash and assembly myself but I was in a position where I could afford to pay for the labor this time so I did.


The best part - 3 week turn around and that was with a 5 day delay for me having acquire OEM valve seals. I've done business with other machine shops in the past and was lucky to get thing returned after MONTHS. I now have the new engine assembled and ready to go back in the race car. I'll update my T4 thread in the Tracking/racing subforum with photos.

I trust you assembled the "new" engine yourself. I remember you mentioning that you rebuilt honda engines before. I'm not an engine builder. Closest I've come recently is tearing down a NB miata engine and a 20V turbo classic Audi AAN engine. The last time I built a motor was in the mid 80s and that was a dead simple Ford 302.

The Subaru engine looks 10x more complicated to me than a Honda, Miata or early Audi engine. Was it? (edited: I just saw and read your other T4 post. You made it seem doable.)

Have you taken the time to tear down your old short block? I'm curious about the condition of the bearings and how things looked in general. I know you were only using the best oil and were meticulous about changes and oil analysis.

I'm excited to see what you get on the dyno on the new engine!