Make sure the head and block surfaces are super flat. My local head shop did not use a low enough Ra surface finish when milling the head. I ended up block sanding my head on a surface plate with 600 grit paper and got all the machining marks out, then reinstalled and it's been fine so far.

 

Ditto. Had the head resurfaced. Block is flat. We installed the cylinder head with a new Golden Eagle Advance seal gasket. I got a killer deal on a cerakote job from a place called Natural Selections.




Now I hope that once we get it back together, I don’t have issues with those check engine lights? Who knows. I really don’t want to tear apart my milspec harness :/