I was just reviewing this article: http://www.aa1car.com/library/2005/ic010532.htm

and I'm currently resurfacing my head by hand for reinstallation with a new head gasket (last one failed 30, 000 km after install by previous owner). Resurfacing may be the wrong word. More or less I'm just cleaning it up and making it nice and smooth.

So it suggests "belt sanding" with 80 grit sand paper as one method of resurfacing. I admit being a little nervous to do that. Maybe it would be ok. I will probably just do it by hand with a long block of wood though.

What types of sand paper would be acceptable? Emery cloth? Aluminum oxide? The "black stuff"? Am I missing something better/safer?

Am I on the right track here? I certainly don't want to scratch my head but also I would like to smooth it to the acceptable "20 - 50 RA for bimetal engines" mentioned in the article. Of course I don't have a way to measure that so I'll just use that "ooooooo, that's smooth" method.

 

Machine shop i dont think ide do it by hand if i were you doesnt sound smart if you ask me

 

i payed a machine shop 50 buck to mill the head... for the block, i used a green scrub pad,and then used a razor to drag over the surface and then went over it with acetone and a rag till it was super clean. make sure all the oil and water is out of the holes. and please don't use a belt sander or any type of sander, all it take is a low spot and you are screwed........

 

Ok, so what's the best way to clean it up and make sure all traces of gasket are gone and smooth out any "gunk bumps"

 

Ok. wow. I'm getting answers as I'm typing answers. You guys are fast!!!

I'll use a razor and be careful not to scratch. Cheers

 

I like to use a piece of glass with the sand paper glued to it. secure it on your bench and work the head across it in a figure "8" pattern. Ive been doing it this way for years. the glass makes sure you have a flat even surface to work on.

 

I've been figuring and think I might as well take it down to the machine shop and have them do it right. I'm going to get my valve faces recut while I'm at it. I figure at this point, what the hell. Who wants to do this job again anytime soon? It's that old "once of prevention is worth a pound of cure" ideology.

I'm saving about 1800.00 anyway by doing the headgasket myself, so I might as well make that head happy. So as long as I don't retorque it wrong or screw it up somehow, I'll be ahead.

PS. Got the cam out. Any suggestions regarding if upgrading would be worth it?

 

I definitly prefer the machine shop (someone to blame). Otherwise use a swiss mill! OR why not a die grinder with a 1/4" burr!

 

It will only cost you 75 dollars max to have it done in the shop, and it will be money well spent. It's not the part you want to try to do at home.

 

If you're doing a gasket job, it's a good idea to get it professionally resurfaced at a machine shop rather than trying to sand it down yourself..

 

Thanks and yes, I have been converted to the "do it properly and STILL cross your fingers" crowd. Cost me 60 dollars. I had a bow (along the length). Can't remember the units but he said it was out by 9/1000's - milimeters I think.

Tonight, I'm going to check the block for warpage and chase all my threads. Hope to never do this gasket again for the life of the truck (320, 000 km).

 

yep, it is a job you want to right the first time. the first time i did the timing chain and head swap i put the head gasket on wrong and it leaked. i had to tear it all down and replace the gasket.