Coolant sitting in my head.

[RallyEclipse98]

My head gasket was shot (420a) so I pulled the head and I'm getting ready to put the resurfaced head back on.

3 questions:

1) There is coolant sitting in the holes (that are shaped like a grade schoolers bird ^) in the head that aren't for the head bolts. Are these just coolant passages or is leaked coolant just sitting there?

2) Does my head look clean enough for the new gasket? I used a razor and break cleaner. All the old gasket and sealer is gone but the surface isn't perfectly smooth.

3) Should I try hard to get the carbon off the top of the pistons?

Thanks for any input.

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[grothe3297venge]

Call me nuts, but all your pics are of a block.. Also I would take that block out and have it checked for straightness. And I think you could clean the block off a bit more where the old gasket was.

Actually if I were you, I would definitely take the block out, and check all bearings and what not just to be safe. Don't want to have to take it apart and buy another head gasket right??

 

[RallyEclipse98]

What about the top of the pistons. Should I work to clean off the carbon?

 

[grothe3297venge]

I wouldn't worry so much about the carbon on top of the pistons as I would be worried about checking the piston rings, the cylinder walls, and as I said all bearings and what not.

 

[RallyEclipse98]

And are those just coolant passages where I'm seeing the coolant sitting?

 

[luv2rallye]

Yep.