No, but you'll want the people at an engine machine shop to check it for cracks and being warped. Aluminum heads are allowed a maximum of .002" warpage in any direction. If there's more than that, the head must be straightened or replaced. They should not be machined like we used to do with cast iron heads. The reason is that warpage will affect the alignment of the camshaft journals too. Machining the gasket side doesn't address the misaligned journals on the top side. That can lead to the camshaft binding, and in severe cases, breaking.
The most important part of getting the new gasket to seal is proper surface preparation. Use a rotary air tool with a fine scuff pad to remove the old gasket material and sealer from the head surface and the block. That will give the gasket something to bite into.
Everyone knows the importance of torquing the head bolts in the right sequence and steps to prevent warping the head, but it's also important to remove them in steps. That removes the clamping forces uniformly. A head can warp when some bolts are removed completely while the others are still at their full tightness.
Sep 5, 2014 at 11:49 AM
