Dumb question that I probably already know the answer to, but here it goes:
Can I have a machine shop deck a head with the valvetrain still in there? Probably a terrible idea that is inviting disaster, but I thought I'd ask...
Dumb question that I probably already know the answer to, but here it goes:
Can I have a machine shop deck a head with the valvetrain still in there? Probably a terrible idea that is inviting disaster, but I thought I'd ask...
Sure, but then you would have to disassemble it to get it clean, so... 
I deck my head all the time, when I go into short basements.
What's the ROI on decking a head? I'm in the middle of an LS1 rebuild, and the rules (ESP autocross) say I can deck it .010." Is it worth the trouble and money?
In that case I'd do it just to ensure you have a fresh, level surface for the head gasket to get a good seal.
Will wrote: What's the ROI on decking a head? I'm in the middle of an LS1 rebuild, and the rules (ESP autocross) say I can deck it .010." Is it worth the trouble and money?
You don't have to disassemble it. The last head I had decked (strait 6 5MGE), I took in fully assembled and they disassembled, decked, and re-assembled for $68.
In reply to Will:
The problem with decking a head any great amount is that the intake manifold has to be addressed somehow. You're basically bringing the ports down closer to the block when you remove material; remove enough and don't touch the intake and you can get leaks in the V. Like I did with my Capri and the 2600 under the hood... stupid thing never sealed right for very long after I had something like .020 inches of material removed from the head deck surface.
I wouldn't do it again if I could go back and un-do it.
The only reason you would have to dis-assemble anything is if a valve was hanging open past the deck surface.
Will wrote: What's the ROI on decking a head? I'm in the middle of an LS1 rebuild, and the rules (ESP autocross) say I can deck it .010." Is it worth the trouble and money?
The decking limit in SP is because decking the head generally reduces the combustion chamber size and thus raises the compression ratio. Since SP rules don't allow for increasing the compression ratio via piston replacement, guys would go nuts decking the heads as much as possible.
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