How much should a head skim cost these days?

[Ian S]

How much should a head skim cost these days and do you take the valves out first or leave that to them?

Four cylinder head, over valve camshaft, from my Fiat 1108cc.

Where do you get it done? (would you use them again?)

Thanks

[Slammed 66]

I always used a local engineering firm. On a gt head I'd just strip off manifolds, pump and end plate and leave the valves in. It used to be £60 for a pressure test and skim but that was a few years back (thankfully).

[R5MJH]

when i had ts skimmed i left everything in situ cam valves the lot, cost £60 ian

[Mr Raider]

Had a head skimmed on a Fiat Cinquento Sporting 1.1 that I got cheap and fixed up, left valves in, local engineering firm did the skim for £50 was a few years ago now although pressure test probably would be another £10-20 so around that figure certainly.

[Ian S]

It cost me about £45.

I left in the valves and the studs that had not already come out.

Took out the cam, caps, buckets, spray bar, spark plugs, thermostat, coils.

They didn't ask if I wanted the valve seats lapped or anything, or if I wanted new stem seals fitted. I wondered if I should have but didn't in the end.

While I was there, I did fit a later cam, from the Punto 75, and did the shims myself using a box of borrowed shims.