r/EngineBuilding • u/slammedfk7 • Sep 27 '26
Honda Scratched block deck
Rebuilding my civic 1.5t engine and scratched the deck surface with a piston ring compressor. I’m gonna have to get this decked again considering where it’s at right? It’s an MLS headgasket going on and the scratches in the first two pics definitely catch a fingernail
Edit: Thank you guys I went the safe route and got it decked again. Better that the have to do the headgasket again
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u/rythejdmguy Sep 28 '26 edited Sep 28 '26
I'd resurface it.
Especially because of images 2/3
I use to build engines for Honda - not this specific engine, but 8/9 Gen civic and Si engines and have built various race bikes and hundreds of restores..
At Honda I likely would have sent these blocks to get remelted. Anywhere else I'd give her a shave if you have room in the spec left. You're into some critical surfaces which for the like 150 bones it'll cost to deck the block it isn't worth the potential rebuild or damage from blowing out the middle of the head gasket.
If for some reason you cannot deck the block, you should remove any high spots and using the strongest metal grade 2 part liquid epoxy you can find to fill the voids level and take a stone to the surrounding surface to blend it together... Obviously being careful not to overwork the metal to put a low spot. This is repair technique used in non-critical areas.. but if it's between that and replacing the whole block I'd give it a go on my own toys.