Pix of before and after. Now can't line up valley pan and intake. So looking at combustion chambers, and space between valves and edge of combustion chamber. Seem like more than a few 1000ths was removed.....

But I measured the side of the head, and the new spec is 62.56 mm, and I make it about 62.5ish.

Anyone have some heads on the bench you can compare?

Any thoughts to the reduced height and valve interference? I have bumped the starter once since heads put back on and torqued. Did not seem to make a normal cranking sound, more like starter spinning and nothing happening, was not able to see valves up/down.

So if the clearance is too tight, and I have cranked motor, have I now bent all my valves?

This is rapidly becoming the head gasket job from hell.

 

I googled land rover cylinder head and a lot of the pictures looks just like your after photos.

http://www.allabout4x4.com/P6210017.jpg

 

Paranoia runs deep.... under your hood it will creep.

 

I think it just looks much more dramatic due to all the carbon.

Buzz, I think you're over-thinking this. The bolts went in alright the first time, right?

 

You be right. They did go in. So I'll see if I can get inserts, 5/16 and a new gasket to work. If not, then 7/16 and drill out manifold.

 

I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if it still didn't line up with the inserts, as they will be slightly off center as well. If you can get them in, and they seem to hold well, open up the intake holes a little bit, and you'll be good to go.

 

Here's some more pix. Certainly plenty of carbon, and closer view of logo shows the HGs were Rover (the log is backwards on the imprint on the head). So don't know if the heads were mchined before I bought truck.

But these pix sure make that stuff look "3D". Maybe just bodacious buildup. Lots of miles on cheap gas.