Skim neccessary?

[u33db]

Going to be taking the head of the engine this week to change the core plugs.

Is a skim necessary?

I wouldn't have thoughtso as the headgasket is fine but just want to check.

Plan is: just take it off, do the plugs, clean the gasket faces then refit with a new gasket.

[MicKPM]

Personally i'd have said you'll get away with it. It's dependant on what the mating face is like when you remove the head especially the water ways.

Hopefully you're fitting a new head gasket anyway and that will seal most minor imperfections so just make sure the head's not crudded/crusted up and if you've got a metal straight edge just put it across the long and short faces as a precaution on each combustion chamber and check for obvious signs of distortion.

[Rich]

i took the head off my old one and put it on without skimming the head, it should be fine as its having a new gasket and stuff anyway

[number1]

I'd do it anyway for the sake of £30 is it really worth pulling the head off again because the gasket failed in 1000 miles?? not saying it will but i'd rather be safe than sorry, i'd also lap the valves in again whilst the head was off too

[stan]

Very good advise that ^^^ thats the least i'd be doing "while its off".

as a rule of thumb I always skim a head after removal, no matter what the running state was prior to removal.

[u33db]

Good point.

Will need to see if theres anywhere around here that'll do it...i've a feeling it'll be a trip into glamorous Aberdeen though...

[number1]

When i pulled the gasflowed head off im using on my engine even though it was perfectly flat, i had a light skim, lapped all the valves back in, just makes sense to do so while it's off, wouldnt neccesarily have a pressure test unless there was compression issues beforehand

Dave