As part of an engine build up I am planning I might have my stock heads ported. If I take my stock heads off the engine, what if anything do I need to do to the head surface? A machine shop told me I need to have the head skimmed to remove any "imprinting" which sounded like BS.

I am worried about gouging the aluminum surface with anything aggressive like a spinning wire brush like I used to use on iron blocks and heads.

 

If you're going to port your stock heads, you really should mill the heads to increase compression and ensure that you have a nice true flat surface w/o any old gasket material left over. (Milling is what you're referring to as skimming) If you have 2001 heads, you probably have 241 castings so they'll really benifit from about a .020-.040 mill depending on your goals.

 

Good point about shaving the heads. If instead I get new heads but at some point want to reuse the stock ones as is, do I need to do something to the surface?

 

Just make sure all the old gasket material is scraped off and the surface is flat.

 

What Xtnct00WS6 said. Make sure you clen the head surfaces and that they are clear of any old gasket material. Good luck.

 

What should I use to clean the surface? I don't want to gouge the head.

 

You could also use a plastic ice scraper for the big stuff, and carb cleaner, razor blade, and scotchbrite pads for the rest.

 

Plastic ice scraper, followed by a plastic sponge and some acetone will make short work. I prepped my heads using a machinest's stone to get rid of the marks from milling the heads down.