Head damage...

[aspira]

Thanks you. I think I’ll give these guys a go. Im sure it would probably lap in and seal, but this is probably the right thing to do. And they’re just up the road from me.

[dave s]

looking at your pics, I am inclined to agree that there appears to be head damage by the valve seat- creating out of round, plus seat burning on the valve. good luck.

[aspira]

Thanks for the discussion and good advice everyone. I'll update the post once I've had the head sorted and got it back in the car. Hopefully with a good ending. I do think I dodged a bullet tbh…

[aspira]

Update to close this one off - the points raised in the chat were right.

The seat was out of round, so I had a new one pressed in - something I couldn't have done myself. Cleaned up the top of the piston as suggested and left as is. It's all back together and running nicely.