Chunky, I think that is a great price for a valve job. As someone else suggested, get him to replace the intake manifold O-rings and the vacuum lines, rubber connectors, and throttle switch at the same time. Those vacuum lines get brittle with time, and the rubber cracks.

Let me know who supplies rebuilt heads for C$295. On those rebuilt heads, be sure you ask, are all of the valve stem seals brand new mercedes brand? and also do you get the new HLCs with the head? I recommend that the valve turners should also be brand new. New HLCs cost about US$20 each, which comes to US$160 per head, you need 16 in total. So new HLCs will cost about C$220 per head. Just understand what you are getting and what you are not getting. Also, do you get to keep your old heads? Also, make sure he only uses Mercedes gaskets!

I was quoted C$1,300 - C$1,400 for a pair of rebuilt heads, with no new HLCs, but machined at a Mercedes machine shop. Chemical pressure washed heads, to clean out all of those tiny oil passages. These are Toronto prices. Total cost quoted to me was C$3,300 to C$4,000, which included all of those rubber parts, lines, replaced.

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1989 420 SEL