Stock magnum head pitting

[HankRearden]

Finally getting around to working on the 5.9 magnum for my 79 pickup. Engine had high mileage but ran great before I pulled it. I was surprised to find a thing orange slime in a cylinder and find the cylinder head pitted in that cylinder.
im kind of guessing it was coolant in the cylinder and the pits were rust but not really sure.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Nothing a light mill won't clean up.

 

[Demonracer]

Check closely between at valves, Magnum heads are notorious for cracking between the seats.

 

[GTX JOHN]

Not only the Magnum heads but many of the 587 and a few other numbers
often crack between Valves and often between exhaust seat and spark plug hole.

However, generally they still pressure check fine and I would not worry about
them on a street car. But I will not spend a bunch of money and time porting
and preparing for one of my race engines if the head even has a superficial crack.

 

[66fyssh]

Yeah, what John said. Does look like a crack or two if you blow it up. Not sure how it got so dang small.

 

[HankRearden]

looks like there are some cracks and a really rough looking seat or two. I didn't measure the guides yet but a couple look like the hole is nit round.
Probably going to have to save some pennies for some cylinder heads.