Yep, I did do that. It isn’t any closer to the channel than the sides so I figured I’d give it a try. Maybe it will be less of a heatsink? Maybe smoothing it will help? Maybe I effed up? I’m going to try it and find out.
This is the casting mark that’s on the heads that came off the Hoe’s Optimizer and the one I got from the junkyard this winter.
View attachment 61687
Not “GMD” like the GM heads and no Navistar mark.
I'm 99% sure that is a "Cleveland foundry" castings.... they also do a lot of ford's....