2006 2TR-FE Head Gasket Replacement - Resurface Cylinder?

Decided to try replacing the head gasket on my 2006 2TR-FE. I have now removed the cylinder head, and am getting nervous about reinstalling it without resurfacing.

I was hoping to get lucky, check the flatness using a straight edge and feeler gauge, and feel confident enough to just reinstall the head with a new OEM gasket. Though I know this method is less than ideal, I was really planning on skipping the resurfacing and just wanted to do a quick gut-check.

When checking 'across' each cylinder, the surface is much closer to flat - the .0025in (.06mm) feeler may just fit at the lowest places but the .003in (.08mm) does not. Though out of spec, I am tempted to consider this "fine".

When measuring from front to back across all pistons, however, I am seeing that the surfaces between each cylinder are visibly lower than the ends of the head. As much as a .008 in (.20mm) may fit on the head surface between the cylinders if the straight edge is placed across the entire head "lengthwise". Now I am nervous as the largest gaps seem pretty far out of spec (.002in/.05mm per the FSM).

I know the "right" answer is to have it resurfaced. However I am wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation, which route you chose to go, and how it turned out. If the entire head seemed closer to spec in all directions, I would be willing to roll the dice and reinstall the head as-is - I am fairly motivated to keep the repair cheap (why I'm doing it myself in the first place) and rather risk-tolerant. However there is risk-tolerant and there is foolish, and reinstalling as is is starting to feel more like the latter.

Thoughts are welcome, and if there is interest I can post my experience so far (though there are already several excellent guides out there which were helpful in getting me to where I am!).

Nick

 

Resurface

 

Resurface.

 

Alright, alright... sorry for asking a question I knew the answer to. Appreciate the quick responses.

There seem to be a fair number of examples of folks out there who haven't checked flatness, so I was hoping a little too hard over here that the right way wasn't the only way to get away with it.

 

A little more time to do it right, and your engine will last you years longer, than not. You don't want to be driving around always wondering when it is going to let the smoke out, do you?

 

learned a long time ago, always get the head resurfaced, just not worth the time and money to do the job twice, so do it once knowing you started with a perfect surface. it will be a few more dollars well spent