73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Performance => Topic started by: JohnnyPopper on June 19, 2020, 09:04:38 PM
-
I'm getting ready to land the heads, looked at the gaskets in the 'kit' I bought last year, they look anemic.
Any thought on this, based on experience?
Did a search and this PN came up: 10185054
Thanks in advance as usual!
-
I found some NOS on Ebay, GM packaging.
Does anyone think aftermarket are better?
TY 8)
-
What heads to what engine?
-
Cast iron heads, OEM off a 350, 383 lower end
I know, I know, for a little more $ you can fly first class... ::)
-
Just to add, I drove the Z28 it came out of...scary fast 8)
-
I'm no expert on head gaskets, but personally I would go aftermarket over NOS. I don't know if head gaskets have a "shelf life" but it seems risky to me. Especially when you typically pay more for NOS than aftermarket. I trust Fel-Pro's stuff. Another thing I learned recently was that you are supposed to use the correct gasket thickness for your motor. You should aim for .035-.045 quench. So step one should be to measure how far down in the hole your pistons sit at TDC. Then choose the correct thickness gasket to get you in that range. For example, my pistons were down about .025, so I bought the steel shim gaskets that are .016, to give me .041 quench. I sprayed the gaskets with the copper gasket stuff before installing.
-
Thanks BB, I'll start there. I use the copper stuff too, for like 40 years... 8)
-
Just measured the drop of my pistons, well on No. 1. It's sitting .045 below the block.
That doesn't sound good from your last post. Any ideas?
Thanks!
-
Perhaps it was rebuilt once upon a time and someone used pistons with a shorter compression height. Stock pistons have a 1.560 compression height. I'd bet yours are 1.540. You could pull them and measure. Either way, there are really only 3 options. 1) have the block deck milled; 2) get pistons with the proper piston height; or 3) run it! If you used steel shims you'd be around .060. Maybe someone else can weigh in, but I'm sure there are plenty of old SBC's out there running up and down the streets just fine with quench in that range.
-
Thanks BB!
It was rebuilt before I got it, so we'll just go with that and RUN it!
When you say shim at .060, you are talking about metal head gaskets?
Hate to sound like a dweeb but there is still some jargon on this board that I don't synch up with... ::)
-
I just mean that the head gasket thickness gets added to the .045 you already have. I *think* the thinnest head gasket option is the steel shim gaskets which are .016.
-
Thanks again! I'm slowly getting it... :-[
-
Yup id defiantly run it to. I would run it if I didn't have a set of Pistons laying around with a better height and they would have to be floating rods. Other than that I wouldn't spend the time to fix this issue.
On a non related topic...
I Wanna see that Apache!
-
I just mean that the head gasket thickness gets added to the .045 you already have. I *think* the thinnest head gasket option is the steel shim gaskets which are .016.
Would anyone know who makes them? Just called Napa, their only choices are .039 and .041
Thanks!!!
-
Felpro 7733-SH1
.013-.016
33.00 pair at Napa Auto
Thanks Guys!