im taking my head to a local machine shop to get it milled, but im not sure how much i should get milled off? i want to retain stock compression, so ill need to get a headgasket that is x amount thicker than stock. stock is .030, so should i get .010 milled off and get a .040 headgasket? is that enough milled off to flatten the surface? any help appreciated. thanks guys

 

.015 to .010 are good amounts for a resurface.

that will change your compression like .1 so its nothing to worry about

 

yeah i was gonna run a .040 head gasket just in case so it will keep it the same

 

You should mill as much as it takes to get it flat and no more. Ask the Machine shop exactly how much they took off. Also has the engine been touched before, has the head been milled before or the block been decked before?

 

to my knowledge, its never been done.

 

how much can u mill the head before it starts to mess with the timing??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bigbadboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how much can u mill the head before it starts to mess with the timing??</TD></TR></TABLE>

You knock anything off and it will mess with the timing. If you want the timing dead nuts, then deree the cams in.

 

so when i mill the head, do i just follow normal procedure for install? i got a helms manual and it doesnt say anything about accounting for milled heads upon installation.

 

One of the proper ways to install the cams after things have been changed i.e. decked block, resurfaced head, different cams, thicker head gasket is to degree the cam in. This will put the cams in the way they are suppose to be. Dereeing cams are a little tricky if you never done it before or you can do the (overlap method) which is easier for me. If everthing is stock and only slight things have changed then dont worry about it...it wont be off much, just putt it in like the manual says.