Measuring for quench...
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,094
Likes: 4,019
From: New Braunfels Texas
You bolt the head down and remove it. I guess if you have a money tree out in the back yard you can afford to ruin a brand new head gasket just to avoid doing some easy, simple math . I don't have a money tree, so I guess I'll just have to add the compressed thickness of the head gasket to the measured thickness of the clay.
Scotty
Scotty
If the engine was rebuilt before….use the old head gasket when you tear it down….
It is a laugh….can’t tell you how many people ask me why I have old head gaskets on the wall….
I have used shim stock or old feeler gauge tongues as well….
Jebby
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 491
your eagle rotating assy uses Keith Black pistons. several different KB 383 pistons say 1.433 compression height. plus half of 3.75 stroke plus 5.7 rod comes out to 9.008. they say the stock deck height of a small block is 9.025. your shop said they usually deck .005 to .010. it could have been decked twice. it could have been decked 15 or 20. i prefer if the shop knew and wrote down how much they took off. but if yours was decked .005 you are in the hole around .012 if decked 10 you are at .007 in the hole. so i realyl doubt you have the room to cut the block any farther. zero decks are for racing. a .028 composition head gasket will put you at .035 or .040 assuming your block is 9.015-20. not a horrible place to be for a quench height. aluminum heads? cuz i recall you talking 10.5 or so CR.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
but it is only a swag based on specs and info in posts. it pretty much points out the need to be sure. odds are about 100% that if builder hands you the assembled short block it will not have to come back apart, at least not for piston to head clearance issues. but hope for the best and plan for the worst...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 491
but it is only a swag based on specs and info in posts. it pretty much points out the need to be sure. odds are about 100% that if builder hands you the assembled short block it will not have to come back apart, at least not for piston to head clearance issues. but hope for the best and plan for the worst...
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,014
Likes: 2,256
From: Corsicana, Tx
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I do it without the gasket and just add in the compressed gasket thickness. I've also used old gaskets.
My 555" has the pistons .009" OUT of the hole. When I ran it N/A for many years I had .028" total deck including head gasket. Yes...the pistons "kissed" the heads a little...never had an issue and bearings etc always looked brand new on teardowns when I would be changing up the combo. I'm using thicker MLS gaskets with the current twin-turbo combo and now have .032" total clearance. And it spins 8000 RPM crossing the line in the 1/4 mile.
JIM
