I'm not sure if I'd consider this question an "Advanced" question, but I lurk here most of the time so I feel cleared to ask. Anyway, I'm freshing up my 383 of 14K miles and the head gaskets were sealing perfectly. The deck surface on the head looks good and I can't take anymore off anyway. I'd like to disassemble the heads to clean the up by bead blasting and was going to mask off the deck surface but started to wonder if there was any reason I couldn't blast the deck surface too. Anybody have an opinion?
Scott

 

In the machine shop I grew up in they never let any heads go out without being decked after bead blasting. I won't give any opinions or guesses as I'm no machinist and my thoughts would be based upon theory. Call the local machine shiop and ask them. They should have some more insight for you.

 

some other form of media blasting might work better. I've heard of people using baking soda on empty aluminum cans. It takes the paint off without denting it.

 

i know of some detail shops useing baking soda, but i wouldn't use a media blaster that sprays metal grit at any metal that u want to be smooth, unless you have it machined. also for your tape put about two layers of electrical tape then about 4 layers of duct tape. if you don't use the electrical tape the duct tape will melt onto the metal and be very very hard to get off.

 

Glass bead(what we use) eats aluminum slowly, if you watch it hit the deck you will see the aluminum flow a little bit, you can also see this effect by taping an area then beading around it, pull the tape off and there is a slight height difference. Mask the deck surface.

 

Worst of all it impregnates into the metal and stays there.
That's why I don't have ANY engine parts bead/sand blasted'

 

Sounds like masking the surface is the way to go. Thanks for the advice. Hmm, maybe I use a couple of bolts to hold the old headgasket to the head and use that as a mask...

 

It IS NOT good to blast ANY part of the head.
What do ya do if some gets in the valve cover area and washes out later down the road. 1/2 a thimble full will eat an engine alive.