Aluminum cylinder head pics

[My427stang]

Looking for opinions on a set of FE aluminum cylinder heads. The pictures below are from a single head, was run in a sub 10 second drag car, 7500 rpm or so. One head looks perfect, the other, every chamber has approximately a .090 long, .015 deep chip. Doesn't seem to be a burn.

Is this the result of not enough material between the two seats? Rough installation? Detonation? Could it be run again or will it erode? I assume to fix you'd need to remove seats, weld and remachine.

Thoughts? Very nice pair of heads, manufacturer long since belly-up and not likely easy to replace one.

Thanks in advance

[Alaskaracer]

Should be able to repair it easily, then have a different set of seat inserts installed that are different outside diameter.

[ClassAct]

Looking for opinions on a set of FE aluminum cylinder heads. The pictures below are from a single head, was run in a sub 10 second drag car, 7500 rpm or so. One head looks perfect, the other, every chamber has approximately a .090 long, .015 deep chip. Doesn't seem to be a burn.

Is this the result of not enough material between the two seats? Rough installation? Detonation? Could it be run again or will it erode? I assume to fix you'd need to remove seats, weld and remachine.

Thoughts? Very nice pair of heads, manufacturer long since belly-up and not likely easy to replace one.

Thanks in advance

That happens. A lot. Run it, because if you repair it, it won’t be long and it will look just like that.

[Caprimaniac]

That section is very thin. Even if repaired, will brake loose again. Round of the corners and run until new seats are needed?

[Dave Koehler]

I'm with ClassAct.
IF the seats look fine, drive on.
I bet the original owner has no idea how long they have been that way.
If you try to fix it, it will happen again and you run the risk of creating other issues.
Deburr and blend it in perhaps?

[PRH]

I see it all the time...... and quite a bit more material missing than that too.

Very common on certain spec heads run in Dirt.

[My427stang]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it, owner selling the heads said no issues. At what point would I worry about seat retention?

[mag2555]

You can run it, but first I would use some fine lapping compound to check if that side of both seats have sunk, which they do more so then not which would the required a touch up valve job in the least!

If the heads will not go back to sealing good with only a touch up valve job then I would take the heads to a shop that can install new interlocking seats, this work may not be cheap, but so is paying for going out to the track time after time and not cutting / running the numbers and going home bust!

[frnkeore]

If the seats are magnetic, I'd do a MPI test, if not a dye penetrate test, for cracks.

[Charliesauto]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it, owner selling the heads said no issues. At what point would I worry about seat retention?

The missing aluminum is a non issue. We have raced the crap out of Z304D heads on 347 Fords that were worse than what you have. Thousands of laps of circle track racing.

[My427stang]

Thanks everyone, I ended up passing on the deal

I also bounced it off someone more experienced with that particular head than me, and he thought it likely was from cutting to fit all the seats, then pressing them in, that the final margin couldn't support the load of the seat install. Likely would have been better doing intakes first then exhausts separately or vice versa. He also said, likely there since new and no issue.

I don't have any doubt that they would have been fine, but given that I would have to stand behind the work and visual inspection wasn't pretty, that left me only to use them for my own build (and that guy doesn't pay well....)

I appreciate the help,