[Jack21]

Also thinking alignment dowels. If the block deck is flat, and the head is flat, and pistons aren't sticking up over zero deck in the bore, then the alignment dowels are the only thing the head can hang on. Try opening up dowel holes in head one drill size (1/64"), then make sure there's enough depth in the dowel hole in the head to take the entire depth of the dowel above the block plus 1/32" without the head gasket in place. Then take a 45 degree chamfering tool and chamfer the dowel hole in the head, just enough to deburr it.