I had the cylinder heads off a GM 4cyl iron block marine engine worked by a machine shop. I am now ready to install it. I have a Fel-Pro head gasket and have cleaned the top of the block really well. What else do I need to do to properly reinstall the head?

Should I do any cleaning of the bolt holes?

What about the head bolts, they have quite a bit of white goop stuff on them. Does that need to be cleaned off?

What type of sealer should I put on the head bolts?

Any other tips?

 

do not clean the block or head surface with a rotory buffing tool.... scraper only

if you want proper torque reading, clean the threads and blow out any fluid. if the bolts screw into a water jacket you need thread sealant...

checking service information is your best bet...these days every engine is different so you gotta check.

 

I use Never-Seize on the bolt threads, unless, like Tech 2 said,they are going into the coolant/water jacket.

 

never seize will reduce friction and could cause over torque of the head bolts. probably would need to reduce the torque spec by 10%. imo following the service procedure is the way to go...this is a critical step