Can you tell if a top-end rebuild had been done by visual inspection?
 

Found an 82 sc with 130Kmi. Good leakdown of %8 -%6 and solid compression of 155 across all 6 cylinders. Last valve adjustment 5k ago had no broken head studs. The car has a limited service history. Since it’s an SC I am worried about the head studs failing soon. The PPI appears good, is it possible this car had a top-end done at some point? Can you visually inspect the engine and see a tell tale sign of a prior top-end rebuild. I don’t think you can but if it is possible please let me know what to look for.

Thanks

I think it would be hard to tell unless the work was done very recently. Then the signs would be obvious.

Unless of course a PO had been nice enough to use ARP studs which would be obvious by the rounded/nonthreaded end of the stud above the open nut

Thanks for the replies.

With the assumption that the bottom head studs would be replaced with steel during a rebuild, what about testing them with a magnet.

non-magnetic = dilivar = no rebuild

magnetic = steel = rebuild