Cylinder Head Machining & Repair in Wisconsin
Manitowoc Motor Machining Company, LLC has been resurfacing, rebuilding, and repairing cylinder heads for Wisconsin shops, fleets, and farms since 1985. Whether it is a cracked head off a Caterpillar diesel or a set of heads that need a true, verified surface finish, our ASE-certified master machinists handle it on-site in Manitowoc.
Precision Cylinder Head Work for Shops and Fleets Across Wisconsin
We know that a warped or cracked cylinder head does not just sideline one engine, it can shut down a harvest, a marine season, or a delivery route. That is why we built our shop around getting heads back to you machined right the first time, not just resurfaced and hoped for. We work on everything from small engine and automotive heads to heavy duty diesel heads off Caterpillar, John Deere, Cummins, and Detroit powerplants, and we back every job with a Profilometer reading so you know the exact surface finish before it leaves our building.
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Our shop sits on the shore of Lake Michigan between Green Bay and Milwaukee, which puts us within reach of the shipping, manufacturing, agricultural, and marine industries that drive this part of the state. Shops from Manitowoc County, the Fox Valley, and the greater Lakeshore region send us heads because they need a machinist who understands diesel, not just gas engines.
Cylinder Head Machining Wisconsin Shops Trust
Cylinder head machining in Wisconsin means resurfacing the deck to a true, flat plane and confirming that finish with a Profilometer, not just eyeballing it. Our Rottler SF7M resurfacer produces the exact surface finish an engine builder specifies, whether that head is headed back into a stock pickup or a high performance racing build.
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- Cylinder head resurfacing: correcting warp from overheating or gasket failure using the Rottler SF7M, then verifying flatness and finish with a Profilometer reading.
- Cylinder head rebuilding: full teardown, inspection, machining, and reassembly so the head is ready to bolt on and run, not just cosmetically cleaned up.
- Valve seat and guide installation: precision-fit seats and guides cut on our CNC equipment so valves seal correctly and hold compression.
- Head crack repair: casting and crack repair for heads that would otherwise be scrapped, including obsolete castings we can machine from raw stock when a replacement head no longer exists.
Heavy Duty Diesel Cylinder Head Repair
Heavy duty diesel cylinder head repair covers everything from a single Caterpillar head off a construction machine to a full set of John Deere heads pulled from a combine mid-harvest. Diesel heads run hotter and under more compression than gas heads, so warp, cracking, and valve seat wear show up more often and matter more when they do.
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We regularly machine Caterpillar cylinder heads and John Deere cylinder heads for the agricultural operations, marine engines, and industrial equipment that this side of the state depends on. Our 3-axis CNC machining center and computerized engine balancing setup let us hold the tolerances a diesel head demands, and our 1600 HP engine dyno gives us a way to verify performance after a rebuild rather than just sending it back and hoping.
Manitowoc’s proximity to Lake Michigan shipping and the agricultural land ringing the county means we see a steady mix of marine diesel, farm equipment, and over-the-road truck heads come through the shop, often on tight turnaround because a piece of equipment sitting idle costs real money.
For larger commercial and industrial applications, learn more about our heavy-duty diesel engine machining.
Why Wisconsin Shops Choose Manitowoc Motor Machining
We are celebrating 40 years in business in 2025, having opened our doors in 1985 on the Lake Michigan shore between Green Bay and Milwaukee. Owner Lyn Nudd and our crew of ASE-certified master engine machinists follow OEM standards and guidelines on every head that comes through the door, from a small Honda generator head to a Caterpillar V-16 diesel.
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- ASE-certified master machinists on every job
- Rottler SF7M resurfacer with Profilometer-verified finish
- Rottler F67A 3-axis CNC machining center
- 1600 HP engine dyno for post-rebuild verification
- Casting and crack repair, including obsolete parts machined from raw castings
- In-house parts department and an ERA-certified electrical specialist for starters, alternators, and combination motor-generators
Industries We Serve Around Manitowoc and Beyond
We work with agricultural operations across the Lakeshore region, marine customers along Lake Michigan, industrial and manufacturing shops between Green Bay and Milwaukee, and racing and high-performance builders statewide. If a head needs machining, whether it came off a snowmobile, a semi, or a Ferrari V-12, it can come through our doors.
Related Engine Services at Manitowoc Motor Machining
Beyond cylinder head machining, we also offer engine block machining, crankshaft straightening, engine balancing, custom welding, hydraulic hose and tube fabrication, and alternator and starter repair through our ERA-certified electrical specialist. We also provide heavy-duty diesel machining for commercial, agricultural, industrial, marine, and fleet applications.
Cylinder Head Machining Questions from Wisconsin Customers
Cylinder head resurfacing pricing depends on the head size, material, and how much material needs to be removed to true the deck. Call (920) 684-8577 and we can quote your specific head once we know the make and condition.
Yes, most cracked diesel cylinder heads can be repaired rather than replaced, using casting and crack repair methods that restore the head to OEM specification. We regularly save heavy duty diesel heads, including Caterpillar and John Deere castings, that other shops would simply scrap.
You know the finish is correct because we verify it with a Profilometer reading after resurfacing on our Rottler SF7M, giving you a documented surface finish measurement rather than a visual guess. This matters most on diesel heads, where an incorrect finish can cause gasket failure under high compression.
Yes, we machine obsolete cylinder heads, including building parts from raw castings when a replacement is no longer available. This work has ranged from vintage and exotic engines to older diesel and agricultural equipment still running around Wisconsin farms and shops.
Heavy duty diesel and agricultural customers in the middle of a season should call ahead about expedited turnaround. We understand idle equipment costs money during planting, harvest, or shipping season.
Get Your Cylinder Head Machined Right the First Time
If you are running a shop, fleet, farm, or marine operation anywhere in Wisconsin and need cylinder head machining, resurfacing, or diesel head repair, the ASE-certified team at Manitowoc Motor Machining Company, LLC is ready to take a look.