I've got an E88 head that might have a problem. The opening where the thermostat housing attaches looks as if it has eroded in spots. I'm afraid that there may not be enough surface left for the gasket to seal against. Has anyone seen this issue? Is it possible to have this welded and re-surfaced? Or is this head simply scrap metal?

Having just had a P79 head done with a similiar problem (pitting around one of the water holes).. Unless there is a crack in the head it usually can be repaired.

Go to a reputable machine shop that works on aluminum heads. They'll be able to fill the corroded spots and resurface the head.

== Glen

I agree with Glen on getting that head to a machine shop to have it repaired. But my question is "What is the condition of the rest of the head?" Are the water passages at the bottom of the head corroded also? Inspect the rest of the head and make sure the rest looks better than the thermostat housing area.

Good point. I won't make any plans until I get it off the block.

The head on my Z's engine developed a pit due to corrosion that allowed coolant to leak into a couple of cylinders. The white, billowy smoke out the tailpipe alerted me to the trouble. Even so, I ended up getting the engine rebuilt, it cost me just under $2k.

Give the head a good once over after you pull it off the engine. Hopefully the corrosion around the t-stat opening is the only problem.