So once i place the piston TDC how do i determine the quench? is there a tool? and when i buy new head gaskets do they come in different sizes and will it tell me the compressed thickness so i could use that with my measurements?

thanks allot, it's nice when you talk to someone who knows what they are talking about

 

Also, what would be a good quench space to be safe with the flat top pistons?

 

With the piston at TDC, throw a straight edge across the block deck and measure the distance between the straight edge and flat portion of the top of the piston with a feeler gauge. That determines your deck height (how far the top of the piston is in the hole). Add that dimension to your compressed thickness of the head gasket, and you have your quench area. In the neighborhood of .035 is a good and safe distance on a performance engine. If the engine isn't a high revving one, you can get away with a little less (things stretch more as the rpm's get higher).

 

thanks again, i just hope after all this i can still use at least high octane pump gas.

joe

 

well i decided not to use the 305 heads and im goint to reuse the original 624 heads off the 355 for now, they are the 2.02/1.6 valves.

Now, when i pour liquid through the chambers they leak (one or two on ea.) do i need to the take the springs and valves apart to clean the carbon so they wont leak anymore (very dirty)?, i never did this before any pointers? the heads are already off so i don't need to use a compressor in the plug hole (i was told thats what you do if the heads are on?) but i need a certain tool to compress the springs right?


joe

 

Sounds like those heads aren't sealing well and could use some help. You'd be best off taking them to a machine shop to have them checked, get the valve guides knurled, and the seats ground. All that is something you don't want to halfass.

 

I'll second that suggestion! The valves are an integral part of good performance, and if they aren't perfect the rest the engine will suffer. And you sure don't want to assemble an engine with new gaskets, and spend all that time and money for naught!