Help scratch on 88 302 head
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 568
From: Connecticut
Put your gasket on and see if the scratch is outside the steel ring for the cylinder seal. It looks like it should be OK.
I'm not sure the norm, but I usually had the head checked for flatness at a machine shop and have it planed.
I'm not sure the norm, but I usually had the head checked for flatness at a machine shop and have it planed.
5 Year Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,031
Likes: 1,087
IMO it looks like the scratch is right where the steel ring ends,i might be worried about coolant seeping under the gasket since the water passage is pretty close to the scratch.Best bet like you said get the head surface machined for flatness a little bit to take the scratch out.And have the other head done the same way ,
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 672
Likes: 411
You'd probably be OK if it is not under the ring. If it was me in my truck I'd probably try and run it. If it was some higher compression engine or something I was trying to maximize performance out of I'd get both the heads machined.