Prep for head surface when reinstalling
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From: Ontario, Canada
Prep for head surface when reinstalling 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.
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.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
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From: Ontario, Canada
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?
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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.
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