on2

iTrader: (4)

Does anyone ever use a head gasket thinner than 0.040"?

I read a lot about how thinner is better for the quench and higher compression but does too thin have any downsides?

Thanks

Gary Z

Piston head contact is main downside. Thinner gaskets may not seal as well. Most piston manufacturers recommend 0.040 minimum clearance. Since our pistons come above the deck 8 -10 thousandths, an .040 gasket reduces clearance to 0.030 inch, which is about the minimum anyone recommends.

PREDATOR-Z

Well to decide on gasket thickness (NA) you have to know 1 important value : "piston deck height". Meaning what is the distance in or out of hole of the piston crown relative to the block deck. Let us call that value (Lp)
Quench = Compressed gasket thickness - Lp
quench range on a street motor .035>.045

kdavis

iTrader: (14)

so did i mess up? i put .040 head gaskets on my engine. it is a stock ls1 short bock with pull of ls6 heads.

Dmoney

iTrader: (22)

You didn't mess up Kevin, but it doesn't really help you out either on an other wise stock motor. Put you a heads and cam combo, then you can talk about what headgasket to put................