(T) Head require skimming?

OK a preview of what I’m up to but need advice. I’ve taken the cylinder head off from my 66k mile engine and am just seeking opinion on if it requires a face re-skim? Also, would it be recommended to take a wire brush headed dremel to it to get off the carbon deposits or would that be considered damaging to the aluminium face? P.S I wasn't a head gasket failure.

A skim on this head is an absolute must. I also would pressure test it. I f you haven't done anything on heads, leave the Dremel where it is. Th carbon deposits might partly go with a solvent. Otherwise the help of a fairly soft tool will do the job. But it should be coming back clean from the machine shop.

always skim

bloody hell!

your making me scared to look at mine now

Skim is pretty cheap though CHeaper than a lot of stuff that could need doing

Why are only the heads skimmed though generally, just cause they are smaller and warp easier??

Kristian

what you mean, why the head and not the block? block is steel head is alloy, very very unlikely a block will need milling, on a fire engine it would be cheaper to chuck it out and get another engine

Exactly what I meant gathering knowledge all the time

KRistian

Fire engines run through a very difficult duty cycle. Thrashed from cold.

The Coventry Climax fire pump engine thrived on thrashing from cold. When they were fitted into racing cars and were warmed up 'properly', the bores glazed over and let all the oil out.

Cheers

D

Ah the Coventry Climax engine as used in Hillman Imps, all aluminium engine, overhead cam, what we come to expect as normal now, but so far advanced of its time. I know someone who has a Clan Crusader which is a Hillman Imp based kit car.

He was also the UK Cars & Car Conversions UK Rally Champion in an Imp with the racing engine of 998cc IIRC beating the bigger engined Minis and on more than one occasion the Escorts etc from the bigger divisions on way to title.

Recently read a book on the Imp, even Alex Isaggonis the MINI man knew it was a better car than the Mini, but it was rushed out early as the Mini was further into its development and didn't want to lose to many sale s to it, consequently underdeveloped and had initial problems, tho sure you remember these being a wee bit older than me

Aaron, would that be the same Imp engine that does for head gaskets rather like a... ermmm..... FIRE engine...????

Back on topic, Hindle's in Bradford charge £15 to skim the head. So there's no excuse really.

John

if the head gasket didnt go you dont need it skimming but it would be better to get it done if you dont get it done use a blade to get the old gaskit off then rub the surface using emery tape you dont need to have it cleand after about 1 hour it will build up again inside

but if the head gaskit went get it checked if its worped or cracked then if its ok get it skimmed/preasure tested/ and you might aswell have some new valve stem seals if its done lots of miles

No, even worse. The Imp engine, in standard form, has the radiator alongside the rear engine, drawing air from under the car. At does also acted like a vacuum cleaner and hoovered up all sorts of rubbish into the radiator duct, hence overheating.

The common cures involved:-

1) move the radiator to the front

2) Wills ring the block and head and do without a head gasket.

Silly thought. Is wills ringing an option for FIRE engines.

Cheers

D

Remember them!!! I had a Sunbeam Stiletto. That was the coupe version with twin headlamps and twin carbs.

('Twin Carbs' for young persons are a wee bit like MPi over the standard SPi system, exept they allow the flow of more air havng more openings)

Cheers

D

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