On Mon, Feb 10, 2003 at 08:07:15PM -0500, [email protected] wrote: > Aluminum heads are especially vulnerable to warpage and cracking because > aluminum has a much higher coefficient of thermal expansion than cast iron. > Consequently, when a bimetal engine with an aluminum head gets too hot, the > head tends to swell up in the middle, causing it to warp and blow the head > gasket.
So how do you tell if your head is warped? I guess you pull it off and then take it to a machine shop? If it is warped, can they grind it flat again and how much would such a thing cost? Also, I'm guessing the top of the block never has problems? ie, all you have to do is have the head fixed. I'm wondering if my oil leak that I think is the valve cover might also be coming from the head gasket leaking. If the head is warped, will that make the valve cover gasket leak, or will the valve cover warp with it? (Is the valve cover aluminum?) Laters, Brian -- 1989 GLI Wolfsburg Ed.
