Good advice needed - head damage at spark plug

[Olf]

Hello,

I'm trying to get an old engine going but have found there is some damage to the head on the flat mating face around the spark plug port. See picture. It's not really worth spending money on so any bright ideas for dealing with this? When you turn the engine over compressed air and fuel vapour escape from the damaged area.

[Olf]

paolow said:

ooof - if there are gases escaping when you turn the engine over then you are in for problems when it's acutally running! Really odd damage - how does that happen? Also, if a plug were tight in the hole and the rest of the threads etc were in good order I would have thought that you might have at leat a REASONABLE seal at cranking pressure; suggests you have worse problems than are visible...
What engine is it? Do you actually have the head off?

Lord alone knows how the damage happened.

I thought you'd get half a seal two but was hoping it was a sigh of good compression No I haven't got the head off yet... Didn't like the idea of jumping in with a thread sealant - do they make them for that temp?

It's a 1950's Ferguson engine.

[Olf]

Thank very much all - some great help here, especially seagrey and Steve. Think I'll try the Timsert. I'll let you know how I get on.