I was putting a head gasket on a 88 Sami and since it was one I was just fixing up I cheaped out and brought a $17 chinese head gasket from auto zone and believe it or not the hole for the oil journal was not poked out (I didnt put it on backwards it just wasent there)and when I fired it up it starved my head of oil and locked up the cam.  I cant believe I didn't catch that what a rookie mistake.  Does anyone know if the head can be saved or is it heading to the scrap pile?    Thx.  c

If I remember correctly(and I may not) the 1.3 does not have cam bearings. Just a machined block that the cam rides in. In which case it's probably toast. Might be worth taking it to a good machine shop though.

I'm with Bigzook on this - his memory IS good, the head has no cam bearings - if you have access to a well equipped machine shop & foundry they may be able to line bore the head and make a set of bearings, but I suspect your least cost option is going to be a used head.

They are correct, there are no actual bearings other than oil film, The bearing caps mating surfaces can be milled and the caps line bored and honed to remove any damaged surfaces very easily by any competant machine shop, but the rest of the heads internals are probably damaged as well, gonna get costly refurbing them, and then you also have to worry about the head being warped. I think you will have far less headaches now and in the future with replacing the head.

 

Looks like its off to the scrap yard for it . Thanks for the  help. c