Small imperfections on head surface ... okay to install?

[DetroitStroker]

So I purchased a head that was supposed to be ready to install with a fresh gone through from a machine shop.


Paid a premium price and it shows up today in pictured condition. Looks like most of the scratches will sit on the firing ring's surface leading me to think it needs to have the surface gone over. I planned on using a felpro composite not a MLS.


What do you guys thinks? I have a core I could have dropped off if I wanted to go that route in the first place. Was hoping the throw this on in time to race by Sunday.

 

[boostdawd]

Can u catch those scratches and imperfections with your fingernail? If so I wouldn't risk it and do it right and get it resurfaced. A composite gasket can only help so much. If u can "feel" the scratches then it will bite u in the future. Maybe work with the seller on meeting u halfway for the machine work?

 

[miliman13]

That is not a premium finish.
But it doesn't look terrible.

Finger nail test helps.

 

[SasaniFab]

I have to say it....that is terrible. Please dont bolt that on your engine

 

[donniekak]

It needs to be milled. The areas of the head that aren't damaged don't look like they were cut with a mill either. It also looks like you'll need to pull the intake valves to get it milled as well.

 

[DetroitStroker]

P.O. Is saying that it must of happened in shipping...

Hard to believe with some corrosion or something around cylinder 1.


It also looks like there was a dinger on the intake port that was epoxied! I'll add a pic in a few of that.


You can tell the valve seats are different and the valves sit really deep in the seat, however like you mentioned @donniekak I think I would need to remove some intake valves to re mill. It also looks like when they cut the seat they were a little sloppy knicking the mating surface.




...the imperfections are so small that I believe I could deck sand them out with a few swipes - but the caveman in me still realizes that's isn't proper.




All machine shops are 3 weeks+ out locally and this is what made me want to buy a newer unit to begin with.





Also not that it matters, but this is not for my drag car. This was for an auto 16g car I picked up for cheap and trying to get race ready.

 

[gofer]

That's not a fresh resurface, the scratches around the head bolt/stud holes make that pretty clear. Looks like the PO dropped the head onto their block with head studs already installed and they didn't line it up properly so the studs scratched up the surface trying to locate the hole. The last photo in your post also shows some graphite left over from the composite HG the PO used that wasn't completely cleaned up.

I don't know what the FS ad looked like or how it was worded but if you were led to believe you were getting a fresh, never installed, head then I'd file a PP claim but if you're in a time crunch and DGAF I'd at least check it.

Cylinder Head Deck Tech​

 

[DetroitStroker]

Is that a small dinger with some epoxy or f***ing jb weld?!????




I also attached a picture where you can see how one of the valve seats don't sit as flush as the others.




....and now here is a big disclaimer... he said he would removed all studs for shipping. One exhaust stud was removed and the rest all mangled up with vice grip marks.... :rollseyes: he was able to answer a lot of questions but now I understand more about where the head came from.

 

[DetroitStroker]

@gofer I assumed they were scrape marks from using a sharp metal razor and trying to scrape a composite gasket/gasket sealer



He had actually called me about a for sale ad. I mentioned I needed a head and he said that he had 2. One was "used and good still" and one "freshly set up from the machine shop"... I suppose I learn now to clarify AGAIN. Some people are out to pull the wool over your eyes.

 

[mitsubishikid]

Is the seller sure he sent you the new fresh one?

 

[Kapok6]

needs milled.

 

[Vegas Smith]

I'm the last person to consult on engine issues and even I can tell you that isn't freshly machined

 

[DetroitStroker]

I keep playing the verbiage used over and over in my head...to the effect of:

"The head is perfectly square"
"Fresh from the machine shop"
"Set up at machine shop"


So I can see how he was beating around to not say it was resurfaced. There is a machinist mark on the front of the head and an obvious valve job so he was thinking it could skate by

 

[93AWDDSM]

 

[DetroitStroker]

I was able to talk to the owner of a local machine shop and just dropped the head off. He said he will have it back to me next week for around $100 for R&R intake valves, resurface, and a liquid valve seal check after.

 

[gofer]

That's a great price, take it.

 

[mitsubishikid]

Might want to have them install new viton valve seals while your at it.