GEN 1 Will this surface cause head gasket failure?

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Valky

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A while ago I had the dreaded broken valve spring and unfortunately for me dropped the valve and caused some wicked engine damage. Long story short I sent my motor to a company to be remanufactured who deemed my head and block acceptable to do so. Once it was back and reinstalled the head gasket was leaking coolant mainly into the same cylinder I had issues from. Melted the heat tab on that side so engine company has of course refused to be any help even though I never allowed the truck to overheat. Essentially I am trying to figure out the cause of the head gasket failure and go from there. I only have a couple theories -

1. The scoring from the damage is creating little avenues where the cylinder pressure is wanting to force itself
2. The company used some type of red spray adhesive on the surfaces. This possibly caused failure since the service manual and felpro both state not to do so with the MLS gasket
3. Faulty gasket/Procedure?

I've checked flatness with a straightedge and confirmed the head is still perfectly flat. Is it possible to maintain a good head gasket seal with the knicks present? None of them are outside of the "ring" area of the gasket. I know the safest option would likely be to purchase a new head but that is my last resort.


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FordTechOne

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I’m surprised someone was willing to install that head; it’s basically scrap unfortunately. I’d be surprised if it will even qualify for core credit. The best course of action will be to get a replacement head and install it with a Ford OEM head gasket per the Workshop Manual.
 
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Valky

Valky

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I’m inclined to say no. I would never have reused that head or consented to its reuse.
I wish I would have been asked beforehand. I had no idea what it looked like. Where can I affordably get another head?
 

RivRaptor

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Wow, as others have said I can't believe someone reused / tried to repair. From your pics that surface doesn't look perfect & you answered your own question on incorrect gasket reassembly. Those gouges in the chamber act as heat sinks and could have or develop hairline cracks anyway...a ticking time bomb. Get a new head and try to get some money back from those hacks that did that butch job. Note: if you source a new head you should find out if they milled any off the other head, cause you may need to match the new one. Good luck!
 

CoronaRaptor

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This brings back a memory ( bad memory), I was like 14 or 15 years old and my dad needed new tires for his old chevy nova. I was working at the co-op part time and got the tires cheap. He was/is a army guy his whole life! We lived on the base and they had a shop there with a tire machine which you could use yourself. My Dad left the tire install up to me, I tried my damnest to get that first tire on that rim, I tried so hard that I actually bend the whole edge of the rim inward. My Dad was so pissed at me, (remember army dude). I realized after that, that 14" tires don't fit on 15" rims. I got bugged about this for my whole life, he went so far as to hang that rim on the wall in his basement for years as a reminder. That's all that head of yours is good for, a wall hanger!
 

smurfslayer

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I sent my motor to a company to be remanufactured who deemed my head and block acceptable to do so. Once it was back and reinstalled the head gasket was leaking coolant mainly into the same cylinder I had issues from

This is... well, at best, unethical. that head is shagged. They don’t stand behind their work?
 
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