How To Resurface Cylinder Heads

Check out Kalvinator Engines: www.kalvinatorengines.com
This is not something you do in your garage at home. As you can see in the video, to do this 'properly', you need specialized equipment like the machine you see in this video.
Since not many people get to see this process in action, I decided to make this video while I was at Kalvinator Engines having my engine built, #DarkMatterPikachu.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making this video.
Thanks to Justin Frische for his help in this video.
Previous video in the series: • How To Install Core Pl...
The #FairmontProject playlist: • ETCG Gets a New Car! -...
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Camera: Brian Kast
Thanks for watching!
Discussion about this video: www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/...
Engine Details
Displacement: 363cid
The Block: www.pbm-erson.com/Catalog/PBM/...
The Crank: www.pbm-erson.com/Catalog/PBM/...
The Heads: performanceparts.ford.com/par...
Compression: 8.9:1
The Cam: Comp Cams custom grind: 222@.050" 222@.050 .357"lobe lift .571" valve lift (1.6 rocker) .351" lobe lift .562" valve lift (1.6 rocker) 114º separation 4ºadvance
Modified: Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
The Carburetor: www.holley.com/products/fuel_...
The Distributor: www.msdperformance.com/produc...
The Ignition: www.msdperformance.com/produc...
The turbo Kit: www.on3performance.com/shop/19...
Related Videos
The #FairmontProject series: • ETCG Gets a New Car! -...
#DarkMatterPikachu on the Dyno: • The #FairmontProject E...
Engine Balancing Video: • How To Balance an Engi...
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Stay Dirty
ETCG
Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. EricTheCarGuy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. EricTheCarGuy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not EricTheCarGuy.

[@HAL-dm1eh]

My dad taught me everything there is to know about gasoline engines when I was around 14, using an old Ford 289 V8 as demonstration. The one thing he couldn't show me was all this machine work. After 30 years I always wondered what this was like now you're finally showing me first hand. Thanks a bunch!

[@bizzyizzy9526]

I'm envious, I wish I had a dad like you 😏

[@REDAC7ED]

@@bizzyizzy9526 I wish I had a dad LOL

[@christophersipes4999]

Going through my Apprenticeship at the Shipyard I work at, I had to take a class on machining and was fascinated with how milling machines and the like worked. Completely amazing that the little blade will cut through all of that material so precisely.

[@bneyens]

Christopher Sipes how did you comment 16 hours ago that was published 6 minutes ago?? Time traveler....

[@christophersipes4999]

Bob Marley no idea, guess I am a time traveler. If Art Bell was still on the radio I would call in.

[@shapeshifter3660]

he used a really old version of Internet explorer

[@RzVids]

Christopher Sipes That's because it's going fast. Anything going fast enough can cut anything.

[@billstevenson7381]

The true value of a professional automotive machine shop and machinest can never be over stated! This is almost a dying art, we need to be training more young people to learn this valuable trade. This has been a great set of videos , Eric. Thanks for showing the goings on in a true machine shop. Maybe it will spark interest in one or more of you viewers to take up a career in this trade.

[@workingshlub8861]

anyone can bolt an engine together....these machinists are true craftsman. more education needs to focused on the trades and not everyone going to college to get what is usually a useless degree.

[@sschevmale24]

@@workingshlub8861 no money in it. I went to school for machining and unless u work for a raceteam or have your own shop just no money. Besides machining is good for race engines but dealerships won't do any of this stuff nor will the guy in his garage.

[@alexklein455]

Yeah, pressing a button must be hard.

[@andrewlightwood3829]

You are very right my friend I am a retired machine shop worker the skills have almost gone I had to adapt to CNC machining as that's where the work was to very different skills

[@whiplashmachine]

@@sschevmale24 who do you think our customers are then? Your right about the money though. As a Journeyman Machinist I make about double the hourly rate of typical automotive machinists.

[@michaelblacktree]

I'm loving these machine shop videos. Thanks for sharing!

[@coryboggs3739]

Went to college with Frische, awesome dude! Glad to hear ETCG has heard of Kalvinator Engines

[@AdrianHiggins83]

Justin nice head job, Eric is very satisfied. have to see this out ...

[@acat8450]

Just searched for a short video to take a look what to expect from this channel and I really like it! Definitely going to watch more in the future :)

[@electronicshelpcare]

Awesome!! Love it....you have a great skill and great job mate.

[@FUBBA]

Wow dude this is super satisfying to watch. I am in the process of having this done to one head I own!

[@bluesoul56]

Bro thank you for talking about the blade and showing it because I was super curious about it you’re such a good person 🤜🏼

[@NHRA1975]

Cool tool, my friend had one at his shop,,we used it on some of my engine stuff as well as my 3.4 GM head when I changed head gaskets..he recommended to resurface the head even if it didn't overheat..

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

After checking plate you can do. Overheat not recomend because head always heat and cold

[@clapton924]

CBN = cubic boron nitride. It's slightly softer than diamond.

[@BillSikes.]

There's very few of these kind of workshops left in the UK, its become a throw away culture, which i think is a great shame, however its good to see its still alive and well in the US. Great video 👍

[@MrTimdtoolman1]

Very interesting. The head looks awesome.

[@joaquinaguirre2976]

Thank you Eric. I always wanted know how is done, I appreciate the info.

[@omorin34]

I still do this old school style. Couple pieces of 80 /120 grit glued to a sheet of melamine. It takes a while but it works. Still waaaay faster than taking it to the machine shop.

[@shiloh4184]

Why melamine? School me

[@omorin34]

@@shiloh4184 Its fairly flat. Not as flat as glass but flat enough. And it will not break. I attached two handles on the back so I can apply steady even pressure front to back. Use long even strokes ensuring the entire head will be covered each pass. Use a board long enough and enough sand paper to ensure complete coverage. even pressure and total coverage is key. After 5 - 10 strokes rotate the board 180 and continue. After 20 - 30 strokes you can see what areas are still low, dirt and cutting oil will gather. I also use a little tap magic (aluminum) on the head. Makes the cutting easier. I have heard of folks doing this and working up to 3000 grit. The result was smooth and shinny. I think I never went higher than 220. Leaves hatch marks of the surface. Seems to always seal up fine.

[@princetchalla2441]

@@omorin34 how many engines have you done this to?

[@omorin34]

@@princetchalla2441 2 engines. A V-8 and a I-4. So three heads total. 10 years on one, 4 years on the other, no leaks.

[@wanders278]

Wow, roughly how much time did that take? I never thought it would be possible to do it like that

[@stevooliver3877]

Funny some heads have a warp that matches the block..i would clean off block & head & set the head it back down on the block then take a feeler gauge to see if it fits like a puzzle..dont see to many blocks getting machined but aluminum can warp once pressure is released.. might be straight right when you take it off but let it set on a table overnight during the winter it may not be straight by morning..i played with some TTY bolts torquing them to certain torque then extra 1/4 turn then measure the length before & after results leaving me scratching my head ..the bolts all range from a 0- 1/16 of inch..so if we are worried about paper thin gap to start with wouldn't a bolt that is stretching more cause the warp..only thing I could do is to retorque but to do this there had to be a final torque value at the 1/4 turn..so I use a old dial torque wrench to see what each value would be at the 95 degree turn..2 bolts were off by 10 pounds under..those turn a extra 1/8 to get the same ..to.many variables friction even with chasing each hole & using a light lube..some go into water jackets so sealer can slow it down.. i got a headache ...lol later

[@ToxicMisfitsYt]

did you sand the sharp edges off of the combustion chambers after the resurfacing?

[@emptytomb4967]

good question. the father frische was paying close attention to air flow in the other vid, so i assume they will.

[@xxwiseonexx]

as a fellow machinist, we use a carbide bit in a die grinder. nothing that is performance comes off of the resurfacer without the chambers chamfered.

[@Kryndon64]

Maybe in the US it's different and machine shops are still a reputable and honest place to go to without paying for an arm and a leg, but where I'm from not only are machine shops very rare, they are most always old, dodgy, run by questionable people who rarely use proper measuring tools and preparation procedures. I would never send my engine parts to a machine shop. It also costs a lot more than it's worth. I'm currently rebuilding my engine and I'm doing it all by hand. I am willing to learn but also on a budget. I've had bad experience with other shops before. As the saying goes; "want something done right? Gotta do it yourself".

[@johnnyb4921]

That’s looks 🤩 amazing!!!

[@Atacama777]

Hi Eric excellent video, I have a question hopefully you can help me, is when to use oversized head gasket after the cylinder head has been resurfaced, the machine shop has to indicate that?, Do you have to measure ?, or is it not necessary ?, the service manual does not say anything related to this, it only says about measuring piston protrusion to calculate for oversized head gasket, but not for resurfaced, thank you in advanced.

[@Bentlyco0p]

Heads, brake rotor's and flywheel's are things I always have machined. Unless being replaced. Do it right or do it twice. Great video.

[@kanarimentos7056]

thanks for video i was looking long time how its work

[@evilcowboy]

Not saying it is wrong to take it to a machine shop and the guy seemed very nice at the machine shop, I would worry a bit if the person did not use dye and a light to look for cracks in the heads, measure across the head all 9 points of measurement. Did the guy verify the heads were actually warped? Second it is a common misconception that a person cannot lap a head by hand at home to not only level it but fit it perfectly. They simply refuse to believe it is possible. However, the example I use generally squashes that argument. Jean Bugatti literally lapped both the block and the head by hand on every engine he built. The surface was so flat and perfect that the need for a head gasket was not required and so the engines he built flat out have no head gaskets. Now how to do it at home. Glass is an absolute flat surface by nature (if anyone does not believe this put a straight edge on any glass top table and try to squeeze a .0015 feeler gauge between the two) glue sand paper to it and lap away and is better done with water to help lubricate the paper so your head does not stick. Do not go any higher than 800 grit so your new gasket has something to bite (the only reason you'd still need the gasket and can't do what Bugatti did is most people will not hand lap their block so even though the head is as flat as can be the block is not). this is also why Bugatti only turned out around 15 cars per year. So if an engineer with the credentials like Jean Bugatti says it is ok to do then it is fine to listen to him. Sure a machine shop is faster but for the people who still want full control over every aspect of their engine build or just simply does not have the money to take it to a machine shop this is an excellent alternative. This method I have tried on a head the engine was still running even after the body of the car rotted away. I also use this method to deck the top of a 1911 frame and everyone who sees the gun always asks how I got such a flat top and the fit between the slide and the frame so perfect. It was so perfect that when the gun was viewed from the rear of it you could not tell where the frame ended and the slide began it all looked like a single piece of metal.

[@timpickens498]

evilcowboy thank you for taking the time to write this comment out. I so very much appreciate it! Thank you sir

[@colcustard6015]

How is glass flat by nature?

[@phantomwalker8251]

how old r u,?,200,old school,.decking a head raises comp,plus,its level.why root around in the back shed,take it in,it get cleaned,decked,seats re done inserts,crack checked,ect..back in the old days,they said if you take the head off an engine,its ruined.utter garb...

[@shopyard87]

Great deal Eric.!!

[@GeneCarrasca]

Just wish we have those machines at my college for engine rebuilding class.

[@rogermuir5609]

Hello everyone I have two questions one is when I’m redoing my heads do I have to somehow machine the block flat or are those less susceptible to warpage. Also I only have one bad cylinder can I only redo that sides head on a v style motor?

[@seeya205]

Nice head Eric!

[@alonzogodwin3745]

Great vedio! Thanks alot! Is it a must to shave heads after new valve job an lapping or can they go back on? Thanks

[@gregmccarter5386]

Love these machines..

[@bluesbastard81]

I always thought the head would be better off indicated in than using a precision level - its still a level !!!

[@hamishr2367]

Great video...how much would your customer have to pay to get this resurfacing done?

[@tango_oscar]

I've been thinking about getting this done on my car (which is a model know for head gasket issues) as a preventative measure.

[@wildbillo68]

Do you have to resurface new out of the factry aftermarket heads? or is it just a suggestion?

[@lustfulvengance]

Thats beautiful! That engine when all assembled will out value the car its in ten fold!!!

[@lustfulvengance]

But it wouldnt be a proper sleeper if it didnt ;-)

[@RichardNash100]

excellent video again :)

[@NGinuity]

....you can do it in your garage if you have a big knee mill in there :-) CBN cutters in this context are actually just special fly cutters with round CBN inserts. CBN is "Cubic Boron Nitride" and is the second hardest material known to man next to synthetic diamond, but you can get CBN inserts in a variety of shapes. The round just happens to work best for flat resurfacing on a dedicated machine. They're pretty pricey though. I haven't seen "low quality" CBN for less than 75 bucks (non-auction/special circumstance price, that is)

[@publicmail2]

like to see more of these and longer too. Thx

[@michaelblacktree]

That's what SHE said! :-P

[@farerse]

no i want more wrenching videos.

[@warrantyvoid100]

Justin Frische needs his own show!

[@CutTimeBrony]

So is this a glorified application specific fly cutter?

[@geraldgreen9991]

Where are you located at? Nice video!!

[@lawnside82]

Cubic boron nitride

[@gglovato]

exactly, incredibly hard, incredibly expensive, that bit alone probably costs upwards of 300$+

[@kalvinatorengines7377]

Thank you! This is the correct answer unlike 2:42. WTF! Who's kid is that?? I have failed...

[@lawnside82]

Guillermo Lovato well i bet they make that money back in a few head shavings.. and then some..

[@wjb111]

I would bet that's not CBN. PCD is used for aluminum machining. CBN for grey cast iron and or hard turning steel.

[@MichaelRadelet]

pcd is what you should use on aluminum. cbn doesn't leave as nice of a finish

[@oncom81]

Hi Eric In the spec height head 92.95 - 93.05 mm, I did resurface 0.3 mm to 92.75 mm. What do you prefer using gasket original or after market 🙏🏻

[@speedbird7976]

When you resurfacing head gaskets do you only resurfaced the top head where the valves go into or also resurface the bottom where the cylinders go?

[@BillSikes.]

Just the head, the cylinder block never warps

[@melekk0]

hey please i have a question on bloc engine its marked the bore cylinder class , for example "abac" can i use piston classe "B 71.98" if the cylinder classe "a 72.00" is worn but still in the limit of classe b lets say 72.02" ? the mix is possible ? cause the workshop says that if classe "a" exced the limit , rebore the cylinder 0.1 and use oversize 0.1 piston Cylinder "A" 72,00-72.01 /// Piston "A" 71,965-71,97 Cylinder "B" 72.01-72.02 /// Piston "B" 71,97-71,98 Cylinder "C" 72.02-72.03 /// Piston "C" 71,98-71,99 over size cylinder "A" 72.10-72.11 /// over size piston "A" 72,065-72,07 over size cylinder "B" 72.11-72.12 /// over size piston "B" 72,07-72,08 over size cylinder "C" 72.12-72.13 /// over size piston "C" 72,08-72,09

[@WhiteBoiGotti]

What's up man I have a question.. I have a 302 96 F150 and I was wondering do I need to get my heads redone. I crank my truck up one morning ran inside to grab something came back out and my truck was leaking from the throttle body or one of them little caps. So I looked at the temperature gauge and my truck wasn't even warmed up at all yet. Well anyways I cut it off and check the radiator ahead oil and the radiator but I did not have water in the oil. And it didn't get a chance to run hot yet so would I still need to get my heads redone? Do you think that they are warped? The truck only has 57,000 original miles it's a 1996 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 just curious thanks so much

[@alecmcmillan6000]

EricTheCarGuy how would you go about prepping a block for reinstalling a fresh head after this would be performed? Thank you!

[@DigBipper188]

CBN: Cubic Boron Nitride which is a very heat resistant and hard wearing material. It's great for working cylinder heads thanks to its resistance to high temperatures and wear and is better for specific applications than something like tungsten carbide... another paragon of tough materials as it doesn't necessarily need a lubricant! Tungsten does for milling steel or anything stronger than steel.

[@emiljack5389]

Hey Eric I did over my head on my Honda crv 1997 because it over heated, Shaved it used a new head gasket. But the pure oil is coming out of the radiator. When the engine is running, Its a milky colour.

[@IamDerick]

Is there a specification on 350 heads when a resurface should be done?

[@TheWolvesCurse]

@ericthecarguy do you need a thicker headgasket after resurfacing to compensate for the lost material? i guess in classic american OHV-V8 engines you probably need it, because the valveopenings would be off center, but what about inline engines? will it increase compression to a dangerous level?

[@ericthecarguy]

Not really. I'll be covering the head gasket and combustion chamber volume in future videos.

[@Immortal22324]

Thank you this is the one question that has been keeping me up at night. @eric at what point do u need a thicker gasket?

[@MrWilliam.Stewart]

Another awsome video, thanks Eric. I've had many heads machined over the years, but I have never seen the magic happen. That was until now!! Could they be the heads from the mighty truck?

[@mg8718]

This is a much better idea than trying to sand it yourself!

[@gclowne174]

If the mating surface are so nice and slick do you even still need a head gasket?

[@kkguitar94]

Can the signs of a head gasket be blown actually be the intake and exhaust gasket?

[@bskjonnemand]

Just a question guys when replacing a head gasket, do I only need to get this machined or the block to?

[@bskjonnemand]

@InnerGuide as far as I found out it depends on the car some need to be machined some don't

[@hy860]

nice surfacer， beautiful machine! is there a DIY solution for that ? thanks

[@Luckingsworth]

The simple answer is the one you aren't going to like. If you have to ask, then no. Technically you can do it by hand with days (as in 24+ hours) of work. But frankly you are better off applying to McDonalds, working 2 weekends, and then quitting and using that pay to finance it rather than doing it yourself. Because this is one of many things that must be done and every single thousandth you take off can really matter in the long run.

[@vetterfellow]

Eric; your heads are born again, and very Holy... TTFN

[@speedybarron5406]

How do you pull out a motor for from a Firebird 96 it's got at 3800 through the top through the bottom

[@user-ge9wk1de6c]

Hey eric i resurfaced my b20 head and timing is on mark but when i try to adjust timing with timing light the pointer is aligned with tdc mark so that mean im far away from the 3 marks i need to be… distributor can go further… i was thinking maybe because i resurfaced my head it mess up the timing anything like that. Love your video have a nice one man

[@EM8844]

So how do you get the cylinder head to be perfectly horizontal on the milling machine?

[@jakefriesenjake]

I'm not sure on the actual jigging going on, but at the end, once it's bolted down, they use a dial indicator to see if the old surface is as level to the machine bed as possible. I think I seen his use a precision machinists bubble level on the head. If the machine is perfectly level, then just level out the head to match. Then push a button

[@mindiseverything5036]

my dads shop used to have the table version of this tho... u drag the head over it with some lubricate so it slides across and resurfaces it, its prolly more old school tho

[@andrewevans1658]

PCD is the correct insert for aluminum not CBN, CBN is for resurfacing cast iron. CBN works for aluminum but not as well as PCD.

[@stevemasterson7776]

this would bump up compression as well right? unless you use a thicker gasket to take up the cut off space?

[@bassmetalheadbang]

yes because millimeters count when building an engine.

[@bumblebeecbr]

With a cut this small (3 thou) I wouldn't worry too much about increased compression, or timing chain/belt slack on a factory engine. A custom engine build like this one then yes every thou cut will need to be accounted for.

[@bassmetalheadbang]

bumblebeecbr Well yes because I'm sure he will sit down and do the maths for the cam so he can get the measurements correct. And that will be done after all machining has been completed.

[@AandWProductions]

You should worry more about piston to valve clearance than compression.

[@xxwiseonexx]

we've cut 30 thou off of a VW head that was used for dirt tracks just for compression. a 3 thou pass wont really have that much of an impact depending on the head. for example a hino straight 6 is gear to gear and is scrap if you have to take more than 4 thou off. valve clearance is the biggest issue, especially if its overhead cam solid lifter.

[@Niyolakshi]

Wow its so satisfying 😍

[@fastforwardx2937]

Where could I go to get this done? I live in southern California. Thanks in advance for any help

[@bcubed72]

Any speed/performance shop.

[@ahmedmoustafa6829]

Many thanks for the video. Can't we use sand paper ?

[@BillSikes.]

Can be done with a file

[@llewvirtue861]

I have been a mechanic for 45 yrs. I must have been living on another planet, I have never yet heard of heads unwarping themselves. Just think of how much money could be saved. Just wait for the heads to unwrap. Could it be done at warpspeed

[@peterdupuis9238]

You can do the same stuff on a Bridgeport and a 6 bit 6" diameter face mill no problem. That's a real machinist lol

[@themechanic764]

What is the name of that place who mills the heads?

[@wodeyaeric5351]

Eric,how much is a cylinder head resurfacing machine?

[@bobthrasher8226]

what about VVT engines? Won't removing material affect timing? I heard this can cause timing codes in Toyotas.

[@newwavepressure6478]

How long do they usually charge u to get it done

[@CorpsicleBand]

that shine at the end

[@bjorkzao8861]

Hi Eric! Why we need to resurface the Cylinder head?

[@CarlosCruz-bp8qo]

I have to do this to my sisters car but what about where the camshaft sits at the grooves 3 of them need to be shaved down to get it smoothedon top how would shave that down unless they do it when they do the bottom end at the valves

[@1kleineMax1]

So Eric, do you now need a bigger/thicker head gasket? Or is 0,03 still in the safe zone?

[@DrTittieSprinkles]

0.003 is safe

[@ericthecarguy]

Next episode.

[@1kleineMax1]

0,003 oh...you are right missed one ^^ yeah that should be safe

[@erikmoore6236]

@3:30 LOL the look on his face!

[@checkmatenate]

How much does this cost to resurface your cylinder head? And can we achieve this with sandpaper?

[@anssakmal9217]

Sir which tool did you use to facing head ?

[@jamesfarmer2748]

How much does this typically cost? Do aluminum heads require a different machine than cast iron.

[@whiplashmachine]

Average price seems to be around $100 for resurfacing and a wash. Cast iron and aluminum use same machine and for the most part same insert. Some diesel heads are really hard so we have another grade of CBN for them. Some aluminum need a fussier finish so we have PCD inserts for those. Most of the time though the standard CBN insert does it all.

[@Miguelc271086]

I don't know much about mechanics, just a guy that likes cars... Question. At what point will this this cause the pistons to bang against the valves or the cylinder head?

[@dnlmachine4287]

Each head/engine is made with a certain amount of material that can be machined off. Some have markings that appear or disappear when the limits are reached. Piston height and rod length can also be adjusted to effect the top height of the piston crown when it is at the top of its stroke. Stay gold.

[@rcnelson]

Questions: how much does the compression ratio change? And can a bubble level be accurate enough for milling in the thousands of an inch range?

[@saabnerd]

I can't say how much the compression ratio would change, a very small amount I would imagine. I do know that the machinist's level is highly accurate. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer's_spirit_level

[@hernancurletto8480]

after resurfacing they tell the mechanic how much they took off the head so they get a thicker gasket to compensate, leaving the compression ratio the same

[@whiplashmachine]

Most heads it barely changes a thing and you just reinstall and away you go. There are a few we have absolute limits on and some we shim to keep things the same.

[@lancearmstrong3252]

Could you do this on a Bridgeport style mill with an endmill?

[@OleTheRealG]

Make sure you tram the head, and use a flycutter, do not use an endmill. best regards

[@christianlewis7055]

​@@OleTheRealG I second your comment. :)

[@andreboy1]

So when you resurface the heads or block how does that change the rest of the build? You would have to accommodate for the material removed, yes? How is this done? Is there thicker head gaskets or what?

[@ericthecarguy]

In context, not enough was removed to be significant. The head gasket and combustion chamber volume will be covered in future videos.

[@jean-michelb7290]

I believe you have some little hole that notice you the maximum amount of material you can remove.

[@sneakysnakepie1]

I have a small external head gasket leak on one side. it's so small I didn't even have to add coolant between 10,xxx miles. bit I believe I have a break in between cylinders on the other side causing my slight rough idle and po300 that rarely lights up. how do I resurface the block because it's in the car? or do I just resurface the heads if needed? also, I'll be cleaning everything and doing valve stem seals because everything will be apart. thanks for the help.

[@ale6242]

if the block needs resurfacing then you need to remove the block from the car. normally though, it is the cylinder heads that warp, due to them being made of aluminium and other alloys. normally your block is iron so it doesn't warp that easily. if you pull the heads and find that the block is warped however, then you will need to remove the engine to resurface it. if you REAAALLLY cant remove the engine, then you can DIY resurface it using fairly high grits of sandpaper say 600 and working upto 1000 or 2000 and a large wood block, around the size of the engine. however the is not the "right" way to do it, and I'm sure i will get many reply's telling me that it wont work. yes it will, its just not the norm.

[@sneakysnakepie1]

snipeish1 it's never overhead, just noticed the head being slightly wet when I was doing the transmission filter. but I've done everything to the car to fix a po300 so I'm 99 percent sure it's the gasket because I don't have any smoke and very very minor loss of coolant but idk because it slightly leak. But it has dex cool and sat for 8 years so much corrosion when I did intake gaskets. But I doubt anything is warped but I'll have a shop check the heads. thanks

[@ale6242]

sneakysnakepie1 no worries. good idea to get them checked whenever you pull them. if it's just a small external leak then you'll probably get away with just replacing the headgasket yourself. maybe look to see if there is an uprated gasket for your engine made aftermarket.

[@Bakal_works1105]

What is the cnc bit you use sir thank

[@dinomash379]

I've heard that also. .. let the engine cool off completely so it'll warp back up

[@fryncyaryorvjink2140]

do you have to adjust the valve clearance after this?

[@mushy18100]

Nabre Labre absolutely

[@ronaldschild157]

Back in my day we used a Mini-Broach® (NOT schilling for this company). A Mini-Broach is not so "mini" and the machining process is not true broaching. A set of cutting bits on a rotating circular head comes up from underneath the table surface; the cylinder head is mounted face-down on the table. It seemed to work well enough but the process is slower and that kind of surface finish is not achievable. I wonder if the machine Justin was using is automotive machining market specific or is it a general production machine finding use in their shop? Great presentation - as always, Eric ... and Cameraman Brian, and Justin :-)

[@samdavis5079]

Ronald Schild yes these machines are automotive specific. I still use a mini broach . it is variable speed head and travel, I can achieve this finish just takes a little longer. the newer machines are just out of my price range and three phase

[@texast1311]

How much does it cost to resurfaces?

[@saidabdulle7329]

Is there any School they have in US, I search Google but I couldn't find, any information please let me know thank you

[@saidabdulle7329]

What kind machine are you using

[@Gaark]

is the block done ?? hehe dumb question i know >.

[@zx8401ztv]

Just like new again, no you cant have that machine eric lol.

[@ericthecarguy]

It doesn't hurt to ask.

[@stevesherlock5334]

What’s the feed and spindle speed on that?

[@tonyyang2084]

Just got my head resurfaced from the machine shop. How do I use to clean it

[@michaspi]

Tony Yang Brake cleaner and a paper towel

[@Amber57499]

How much can you even take off before the pistons start hitting the head?

[@jeanvanrensburg6973]

Amber57499 That will only happen if you start skimming the engine block itself. Regards.

[@cavitycreep]

how you know when you need to resurface heads?

[@hnzomer588]

How much is too much? Are there markings to use as a guide to know on the head you have gone too far or someone before you might have already done it and it's time for a new head because it can't be shaved anymore...