Cylinder Head Straightness

A blown gasket, loose valve seats, metal discolouration or a camshaft that is not turning may be the result of a warped head. It’s a good idea to quickly test such heads for warpage to determine if the head is still serviceable. All that is required is a straight edge and a filler gauge.

Remove any gaskets or carbon on the fat face that seats against the block.

Place a Straight edge firmly on the cylinder head face and see if there is gap between the straight edge and the cylinder head. If there is a gap measure with a filler gauge to determine if the warpage is within tolerance or it requires skimming. With experience you won’t even need a filler gauge to make this judgement.

This skill helps at the counter to inform the customer and make further diagnosis.