$1,800 is a lot for head work, does this include removing and installing the head or is this just new seats/guides/valves?

 

$1800 with install and parts. Do you guys think it's a fair price? As of now the car is in my drive way just parked until I decide what to do

 

If removing, working on, then installing the head, that's reasonable, but seems like a worst case scenario price. If you pull your own cylinder head I'd say $900 would be about right.

 

Did the shop give you the valve gaps before the adjustment?

 

No, just the bad low compression news The shop is InlinePro

 

The issue is still unknown but the shop is saying once the head is removed it'll be clear what the issue is.

 

You should try a leakdown test it might give some more insight before you pull the head...but seems like it would need pulled anuyway

 

If the head is the issue, and a valve adjustment didn't fix it, chances are you have worn guides at least and it's causing the valves to rock back and forth and not perfectly seating. The cause is usually valves that were too tight, the valves have two paths to radiate their heat, about 75% of the heat is transferred through the valve face to seat contact and the coolant system on the head, the rest is transferred via the stem to guide. When the valves(especially exhaust valves) don't seat(from having the valve clearance too tight), all the heat loading is taken up by the guides. First your seals get torched and the car starts burning a fair bit of oil, then the guide starts warping, then the valve itself, and the seat starts getting pitted, then finally the valves no longer seal after ovaling the valve seat, leaving the cylinder with low compression.

 

Nice reply, back when I was driving the car, during light acceleration I would notice a ticking noise coming from the motor the higher the rpms go it would go away. I'm assuming the ticking is the valves? Makes everything make sense

 

Light ticking is normal as the guides can have a tiny amount of play and still be in spec. .008" worth of play to be exact. If the ticking gets worse then for sure you have an issue.

Valve clearance should be at least checked every 3 years or 36,000 miles in my opinion.