Cylinder Head Removal

I removed the cylinder head on a Perkins A4.318 diesel to free a stuck piston.
There were no signs of a leaking head gasket before dis-assembly.
I am wondering if I should take the head in to an engine shop to resurface (or at least check it out). I am on a limited budget, so if I don't need to spend the cash to have the head resurfaced, I would rather not. However, I also want to do what is correct.
Is it standard practice to have anything done to the head every time it is taken off?

You could use a level, and a thin feeler gauge
and see if the feeler slips under the level at
anyplace...if not, the head is probably flat,
so just use a new head gasket.

A machine shop can check the head for out-of-flat for a small charge. They would use a straightedge and feeler gauges.

Hi
How long has this tractor sat, is the stuck cylinder just full of rain water that got down the muffler, If you got rust damage in the cylinder, you might be better pulling the pan and piston.The rings could be stuck too!.

The heads off, I would be checking for flat and the valve seats also.
If water did run through an open valve. The seat faces might be rusty and not seal, giving no or poor compression, the same as stuck rings will.
Basically the heads off wich is half the work, check it all out now then you know it's right.

I usually find the limited budget, get it running cheap jobs don't work out cheap in the end.
I fix for a living. Guys bring this stuff in. It usually ends up with me having the headache, trying to stay in a non existent budget.
If you have to even raid the couch/ bottom of the washing machine, all those kinda places L.O.L, for loose change for the money.
Fix it right the first time. you only spend your free time once.
The parts/shop times the only extra expense.

There's nothing worse than a half a$$ed repair letting you down, when you don't have time and need the tractor urgent!.
Regards Robert

Hi Robert,
I would guess this tractor sat for at least 3 years. Yes, water did come down through the exhaust and 2 of the valve seats are pitted. I discovered this after my original post. The head is going to the machine shop on Monday.
I am now having a fun time removing these dry sleeves and replacing them...I am glad I don't have to be in field with this anytime soon!

Hi
Glad to hear it's getting done right, and you found the head problem. I did a 3 cyl a couple months ago.
Those sleeves can be ignorant till the very end. they either come easy when you get them moved or they don't. I have seen some so tight they had to be machined out.
I Had 1" ready rod a thick steal puck machined, and stepped slightly smaller than the new sleeve outer.
A 4"x1" flat bar for the rod top support, on oak blocks, then used a big wrench with 4ft of pipe on for leverage. Those suckers were a better workout than any $300 a month gym membership :-(.
But doing them out and new in saved myself and the customer $700 at the machine shop.

What ever you do don't follow the tube video, with the guy splitting them out with screw driver and hammer. Thats the quickest way to destroy a block if you score the counter bores!.
Regards Robert