Pitted head

[MicrAde]

I have observed that I have some very light pitting on the gasket face of my cylinder head. You can't feel it with a finger/finger nail but you can with the point of a sharp scribe. Now, my question is does this pitting mean that I have to have my head skimmed irrespective of whether it checks for flat or not. Thanks in advance, Ade

Apologies if pictures aren't so good.......phone camera

 

[frank]

looks fine to me ade as long as there,s no pitting under the fire rings eh

 

[MicrAde]

looks fine to me ade as long as there,s no pitting under the fire rings eh

Cheers Frank, I was hoping for that answer . Just waiting on a new straight edge and feeler gauges now to test for straightness. The car has never overheated while it has been in my possession so would pressure alone be enough to warp an alloy head?

 

[frank]

would pressure alone be enough to warp an alloy head?

i very much doubt it mate just whack the bolts down (thats all i do on mine)

 

[MicrAde]

i very much doubt it mate just whack the bolts down (thats all i do on mine)

Thanks again Frank, all bolt holes have been thread chased and it'll be new bolts this time

 

[frank]

they are,nt stretchbolts tho ade, i,ve reused mine many times

 

[MicrAde]

they are,nt stretchbolts tho ade, i,ve reused mine many times

Yeah, I reused them last time, even though the front 3, above exhaust manifold, were badly corroded and pretty much seized into place. For the sake of £20 I'd rather replace them this time. Besides which I took an angle grinder to one of them to make a ghetto thread chaser!

 

[pollyp]

the corrosion pitting is usually due to infrequent coolant change or insufficient coolant ratio throughout the heads life. it's not important unless its so bad its created pin holes. the fire rings & oil seal surfaces are more important

 

[MicrAde]

the corrosion pitting is usually due to infrequent coolant change or insufficient coolant ratio throughout the heads life. it's not important unless its so bad its created pin holes. the fire rings & oil seal surfaces are more important

Thanks for your feedback also pollyp. Pitting is nowhere near being pinholes, so on the back of the info from the micra gurus,Frank and yourself, I am more confident to go ahead