Quench Area...need help determining Head Gasket Thickness
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Forced Induction Heaven
Quench Area...need help determining Head Gasket Thickness I am contemplating opening up the chambers some more on my heads. At the same time I will have the heads O Ringed. I need to know which gaskets to buy. But first I need to know how thick they can be without screwing up the quench area. My pistons come OUT OF THE HOLE .014. Result of 6.125" Rods, 3.905" Forged Pistons, and a .004" clean up on the block.
So what is the optimal quench...is it a .054" thick gasket like the stock 2002 MLS gaskets or can it be thicker? Since my pistons come out of the hole .008" more than stock (.006) does that imply that I can go to thicker head gasket...what should the quench area be and how thick should/can the head gasket be without screwing up the quench area???
Thanks
So what is the optimal quench...is it a .054" thick gasket like the stock 2002 MLS gaskets or can it be thicker? Since my pistons come out of the hole .008" more than stock (.006) does that imply that I can go to thicker head gasket...what should the quench area be and how thick should/can the head gasket be without screwing up the quench area???
Thanks
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 308
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From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by Shinobi'sZ
I am contemplating opening up the chambers some more on my heads. At the same time I will have the heads O Ringed. I need to know which gaskets to buy. But first I need to know how thick they can be without screwing up the quench area. My pistons come OUT OF THE HOLE .014. Result of 6.125" Rods, 3.905" Forged Pistons, and a .004" clean up on the block.
So what is the optimal quench...is it a .054" thick gasket like the stock 2002 MLS gaskets or can it be thicker? Since my pistons come out of the hole .008" more than stock (.006) does that imply that I can go to thicker head gasket...what should the quench area be and how thick should/can the head gasket be without screwing up the quench area???
Thanks
So what is the optimal quench...is it a .054" thick gasket like the stock 2002 MLS gaskets or can it be thicker? Since my pistons come out of the hole .008" more than stock (.006) does that imply that I can go to thicker head gasket...what should the quench area be and how thick should/can the head gasket be without screwing up the quench area???
Thanks
It sounds like the stock static quench is .048. I'm no expert by any means on this, but I have read that you loose all the benifit if you go over .060.
A HotRod magazine article I read called for .037 - .044 as optimal with steel connecting rods.
I would try to stay as close to (or below) the stock quench as possible, since it provides a free octane of sorts.
Last edited by QuickSilver2002; Jan 27, 2004 at 01:23 AM.
i would shoot for .035 to .045...
i wouldnt go much thicker than the .054 you mentioned, that would give you .040.
if they make it for an ls1 maybe get a .049, that would give you .035 which would be the minimum i would go.
i wouldnt go much thicker than the .054 you mentioned, that would give you .040.
if they make it for an ls1 maybe get a .049, that would give you .035 which would be the minimum i would go.
