Thread: Head gaskets

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I've been told several different options on which head gaskets would be best from friends but thought I'd go straight to "the horses mouth" as it were;
what would be the better gaskets to go with on a high perf sbc 350 and still remain in a decent price range? As always, any and all responses are appreciated.

Rol gasket. fel pro . and other will work the CR would have to do with what head gasket you would used like stock felpro for low cr .race hi cr the race felpros gasket if a blower or alot of nos then a mls gasket like cometic work very good to have a flat head and deck with the right finsh is a good start keep away from the use of the 3m prep wheels they do not get any thing flat and can add to a poor sealing head gasket as well as the right tq on the bolts or head studs

Felpro 1003 is what I'd out on....

Excellent. Thanks for the replies.

All depends on where you want to set the squish. More piston deck height will require a thinner gasket to get there. Less piston deck height, a little thicker gasket. Have you measure the piston deck height?

If you don't know how, say so and I'll explain. We all had to start somewhere. I remember reading a Hot Rod magazine for the first time when I was 12 or 13. I came across the word "manifold". I asked my dad what it was, he didn't know. I asked the neighbor man, he didn't know. I must have gone through half a dozen neighbors before I came across an old mechanic who explained it to me.

based on the way you said to measure, my piston deck height is .023-Should be getting the new heads within the next two week (I hope) and will be putting them on shortly thereafter.

well i would zero deck it to a 9.000 deck or 9.010 deck 010 in the hole what ever head gasket you use less a tin shim. you are more then i like for squish so i would use a felpro stock gasket or if your going for it then deck the block or use a tin shim or just put your head gaskets on it and not worry about it

With 0.023" piston deck height, use a Victor Reinz #5746. It is a composition gasket that compresses to 0.025", giving a 0.048" squish. You'll be fine with that.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

With 0.023" piston deck height, use a Victor Reinz #5746. It is a composition gasket that compresses to 0.025", giving a 0.048" squish. You'll be fine with that.

that head gasket is for race use only thats so they cover there butts ?? .i do know of a guy that used them . and did not have good luck with them( there could be more to this story but i do not know it at the time i bhj tru deck the block and bored it i did not build the engine he wanted less squish then what he had he put it together.BUT i sold him them head gaskets :>( that why i did not jump up and post the number of them for street use like i said i would use a steel shim or just a stock 039 to 045 head gasket now if its a hot street engine i zero deck them or get very close to it this has some to do with piston rock to if a big piston i keep them in the hole less it is a 060 gasket.there are many bbc and sbc that have that much squish+ if worry about it at should of been zero deck or a bit down and use a thicker head gasket ..but that how i do it .. i may be wrong i do not care much for thin composite gaskets they may work just fine but i take the time to deck it were i want them. not tru-decking the engine first off you do not know were the head are on the engine any ways they can run up and down hill and off side to side.i have seen this many times .it shows up when i take my first cut on the mill last 4 years one was a 351 w block end to end was way off and a 402 bbc it was so far off side to side i stop the job pulled every thing down and check the mill and my set up