# cyclinder head cutting question
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290
**Category:** Shift518 Automotive
**Created:** [November 11, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290 "2011-11-11T14:23:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tdi\_logik](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tdi_logik)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/1 "2011-11-11T14:23:07Z")
quick question, can you mill a head with the valves still in place?
---
### Author:  [@SDP](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SDP)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/2 "2011-11-11T14:25:28Z")
yeah you can. I like to fully strip the head when any machine work is done but…
---
### Author:  [@capitalcrew](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/capitalcrew)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/3 "2011-11-11T14:26:12Z")
Sure, but you might end up with metal chips in places you don’t want them… best to completely tear it down.
---
### Author:  [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/4 "2011-11-11T14:26:16Z")
Should be getting a valve job anyway, call Rick, Buschur good too
---
### Author:  [@tdi\_logik](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tdi_logik)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/5 "2011-11-11T14:32:23Z")
> [@SDP"](#):
>
> yeah you can. I like to fully strip the head when any machine work is done but…
thanks buddy
> [@WTBarrow: Cargo roof carrier for a dead body \*BORROW\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtbarrow-cargo-roof-carrier-for-a-dead-body-borrow/46419/7):
>
> Sure, but you might end up with metal chips in places you don’t want them… best to completely tear it down.
thanks for the professional response.
> [@FS: PS3 , Games, Guitar Hero III...](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-ps3-games-guitar-hero-iii/46566/7):
>
> Should be getting a valve job anyway, call Rick, Buschur good too
head is fine, no money for a ported head this year, no valves bent just checked, there is a tiny nick in the head and i’d like to have a professional oppinion on if it will affect with head gasket sealing.
---
### Author:  [@capitalcrew](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/capitalcrew)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/6 "2011-11-11T15:03:39Z")
If my response seemed unprofessional I apologize dude. Just an honest answer. You can do whatever machine work you want to do, it’s just your best bet to take it all apart first.
---
### Author:  [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/7 "2011-11-11T15:38:18Z")
As long as the valves are fine ya should be ok , but any good machinists is gonna strip it anyway man . Just bring em head and let em do there job .
---
### Author:  [@tdi\_logik](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tdi_logik)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/8 "2011-11-11T15:43:09Z")
> [@\*\*\*\*\*Official: Mighty Meet Thread\*\*\*\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/official-mighty-meet-thread/10918/3410):
>
> As long as the valves are fine ya should be ok , but any good machinists is gonna strip it anyway man . Just bring em head and let em do there job .
kind of what i figured anyways, i gotta do springs and retainers anyways, might aswell do new valves i guess.
---
### Author:  [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/9 "2011-11-11T16:02:07Z")
Valves Prolly fine , just get a fresh valve job wit the seats cut . Bring em to my guy in c/p behind napa he is very good
---
### Author:  [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cyclinder-head-cutting-question/261290/10 "2011-11-11T16:37:08Z")
Some yes, some no. If the valves protrude beyond the deck surface of the head, then they must be removed. Any work being performed on a professional level the head should be stripped, degreased, pressure tested, checked for staighness, etc all before even attempting to deck the head. Head needs to be decked parallel to the cam journals, so if the head is twisted, decking a head w/o correction can make it worse. Decking twisted OHV heads w/o correction typically results in accelerated cam/journal wear and early failure, timing belts that don’t track on the gears correctly, or worst case break the cams. Head can be warped a couple thou and be “ok”, but I’ve also pulled heads that came off perfectly running motors that were warped 10+ thou after releasing the bolts. Sometimes shit just happens.
Typical blah blah blah from me. Just have to have a competent machinist look things over before mounting to the flycutter.