I'd would either get a second opinion on that or have my machinist cut it for a new seat. If he's any good he'll know as soon as the cutter makes contact whether your heat treat "expert" is full of it or not.
Kevin
Because we welded a circumference around where the old seat was, the material was the rod (4340?) which was harder than the alloy casting. The casting where the fire ring on the headgasket seats was the soft point as the chamber had some extra fill put in this area so it could be ground back to look like it did originally I had done all the work only to see his test point out the soft zone next to the weld. His call was it'll always blow head gaskets because of this. His son was a serious racer so i trust his call on this.
You said the area tested soft. Soft compared to what exactly? What value did it test to? A356 with a T6 heat treat should be a 70 Brinell.
His comments about Chinese knockoff aircraft parts make me wonder if he has a Chinesium bias because Stealth heads are cast from A356 just like Edelbrocks are so does that mean you can't repair an RPM head either?
I just don't buy the it will always blow a head gasket there story. Under certain circumstances perhaps like 15:1 compression or too much timing with 25 lbs of boost but I'd bet if the gasket gets compressed when torqued properly, it ain't going anywhere on any build where that head is a proper choice.
Kevin
