When to get some head works done

As the miles on your car rack up over the years, the performance of your engine will diminish or may not be the same as it was. Even with regular tune-ups and periodic maintenance, an engine’s performance will eventually dwindle over time. Besides engine wear, carbon and sludge build-up are also contributing factors in performance loss. In the days gone by, taking down your cylinder head and having the valves reseated and decarbonized was quite common. The fuel and oil available before were not as high-tech as it is to day.

Other reasons that may require you to take down your engine’s cylinder head might be a blown head gasket, a dropped valve, a cracked cylinder head or a broken timing belt. In the event you do need to take it down, make sure to bring it to a reputable machine shop. A good machine shop, besides checking for warping, would also recommend to have the cylinder head hydro-tested. This test would verify if the head has any leaks. It would also be a good idea to have the head inspected for cracks. The head would most likely be cleaned thoroughly and a special dye would be applied to areas where hairline cracks would normally develop. If a crack is present, the dye would seep into the crack and would make the crack visible. If a crack does appear or a leak is present, it would be better to replace it with a new cylinder head.