Cylinder Head Maintenance

Cylinder head inspection and repair is a normal part of any maintenance program. Carbon deposits rob horsepower. A warped head causes head gasket leaks and drastically reduces horsepower. When resurfacing be sure to use a figure eight pattern and rotate frequently.

	Carbon deposits should be eliminated periodically from the surface of the cylinder head. Use a rounded scraper (a popsicle stick works well), avoid damaging the spark plug threads and avoid scratching the aluminum. Glass beading with a fine compound also works very well.
	Measure Head Warpage (limit: 0.02mm or 0.001in). Attach a straight edge (1) and a feeler gauge (2) on the head. If out of specification, surface.
	Surfacing the head. Place a 400~600 grit wet sandpaper on a surface plate and use a figure eight pattern. Rotate the head several times to avoid removing too much material from one side. You can make a cheap surface plate by purchasing a 1' square piece of 1/4" thick glass. We also prefer to use fine grade valve lapping compound (can get at auto parts store cheap) rather than sand paper.