Decking a head

[mbflemingkf]

My recently refreshed engine has blown a head gasket  and my mechanic says the head is warped between 3 & 4 and will need decked (shaved).  It's a 54 head on a 52 block which I've beem told is "OK" do.  Anyway, I've had the head decked once before and no idea how many if any additional its had in its life.  Question is, how many times can you deck these heads before running into a "problem?   

Thoughts?   Thanks!

[joefrazer]

There isn't much space between the top end of a piston and the electrode on a spark plug. John Parker used to deck the heads on his cars to increase compression and horsepower. He told me once that he shaved one a bit too far and had to use two head gaskets to make things work. I doubt you'll run into that problem.

Did the shop give you any indication as to how far out of plane the head is?

By the way, it is OK to use a 54 head on a 52 block.

[mbflemingkf]

Thanks Joe.  And I was told my another member not to deck it, but to reassemble coating both sides of the gasket, clean the holes, and coat the head bolt threads, AND to to torque the head bolts 40-45# 3 times, then once more after about 100 miles.  That should pull the head back into plane.   

[rialto]

If the head is warped over a certain amount the head gasket will blow again in the same spot. A machine shop can measure the amount of warpage by laying a straightedge on the head surface and sliding feeler gauges in the low spots to measure how many thousandths out it is.  It's also possible the block could be warped but this not nearly as common as a warped head. The block can be checked like the head. Get the head resurfaced if necessary.  Then retorque  after being driven and then cooled.  DO NOT OVERTORQUE !   Those little head bolts break easily.  Good Luck

[rialto]

A fresh modern head gasket would be much better than an old nos one. Felpro still makes them. That 100 mile retorque sounds good.

[MilesP]

Fel Pro 7191 S is he head gasket

[boatingbill]

mbflemingkl: Years ago J.C.Whitney sold a high compression metal head gasket for the
226 engine. I installed one which caused the car to ping badly, so I removed it. Maybe
premium would have cured the ping, but that was an expensive option.

[mbflemingkf]

Guys, thanks for the input!  The head has been sent to the shop to be shaved.  I'll let you know how it turns out!!

So what's the maximum torque you'd put on the head bolts?  My mechanic is saying 60# which sounds high to me, but what do I know??!!

[pnw_oldmags]

Bolts best be Grade 8 or you might have heads of bolts in your socket if you torque to 60#.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

While a 1954 cylinder head (saying Kaiser 226) will work ok on a 1952 block, you would lose points in judging for wrong model year item on the car and it could have impact on price if you ever decide to sell the car in the future.

[rialto]

60 ft lbs  is too much. The 51 shop manual says 30-35.  You can probably get away with 40-45 you stated earlier,but no more. You might break a head bolt at 50-60 ft lbs.

[dusty]

Mike, FIRST always use class 5 or 8 bolts you will count your blessings . SECOND  you will need to retighten the bolts 2-3 more times ( you will scratch your head as to why they loosened up?) While working on the bolts next to the manifold check as some do not enter the water jacket and the bolt will bottom out giving a false reading  especiially if you have DECKED the head and it will  leave your head FLOATING in that area. Some of the head leakage problems can be solved using Blue Devil do it your self POUR-N-GO HEAD GASKET SEALER for 4 and 6 cyl engines pour it in the radiator, folow the directions to the letter VERY EASY i used it on two engines and it stopped the seapage.