Had some head gasket issues on the dyno last week. Tore the car down and couldn't find too much other than the few spots in the pic below.

What is the best course of action? Can/should this be repaired by a machine shop before re-installing? For all I know these spots could have been there when I bought the motor (previously used) and i've been running this way for a couple months.

Thanks!

 

looks to me like something broke at some point and got bounced around in the combustion chamber. if you haven't had anything break since you've had it, it was probably there before.

honestly, I wouldn't even bother with a machine shop. just find someone with a dremel, and get an 80 grit flapwheel for it, and smooth down the edge of all those straight edges in all 4 chambers. sharp points are potential hotspots. and you definitely want to smooth out those divots, as the burrs from them will definitely be hotspots.

they have nothing to do with HG issues though, as they don't touch the HG. if you had HG issues, I would have the head shaved bare minimum for straightness (usually 0.008"), and then AFTER that, take the dremel flapwheel to those straight edges.

 

since you have the head off, deck it and maybe have them pull some vacuum on the valves just to get it checked. Thats what I would do.

 

You recommend using that flapper wheel to smooth down those divots? I have a dremel and just need to get a few wheels.

Jim Justice had the head and did the work for the previous owner (have receipt)... I'm not convinced all of those edges need any work or he would have already taken care of it. They are certainly not sharp.

 

could be detonation looks like the chamber pocket edge was not smoothed out