Quote Originally Posted by techinspector1 View Post
I strongly recommend that you check the piston deck height (distance from the block decks where the heads bolt on to the crown of the piston) before you go any farther. Blueprint PDH is 0.025", which when added to the compressed thickness of the gasket, 0.028", would make a squish of 0.053". Personally, I would not button up a motor with this squish measurement. I'd do it properly by measuring the stack of parts and cutting the block decks to zero so that when using a Fel-Pro 1003, I'd have a squish of 0.041", or if I was in a position of not knowing the fuel quality I could buy later, I would cut the block decks so that the crown of the piston popped up out of the block by 0.006", then use the 1003 for a squish of 0.035".

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So I like the recommendation of the felpro 1003 head gasket. But, humor me for a moment. The factory gasket is. 051". And the 1003 is. 041". So if I went with your recommendation of cutting the deck and using this gasket, wouldn't I actually have less valve clearance than my first suggestion? Anyhow, I'm looking at this another way now. I've read about great results with the felpro 1003. And I would actually prefer to use that one now. (call me wishy washy). It would be only. 010" in height shorter than factory. But this is on a new crate engine with a 4" bore. The 1003 has a 4.166" bore. Think it will work? The dummy in me is saying that with a .010" difference in gasket thickness, it shouldn't cause issues running the 1.6 rockers. But now the gasket bore size is my concern. And then of course we have the Felpro 1010, which is virtually the same with exception to having a .039" compressed thickness and copper fire rings which I'd prefer for an aluminum head anyhow. Thoughts?