ok, good deal. the cheapest .039 was the felpro 1008 at $50, kinda high but o well.

 

 

If I'd have known earlier I would have sent you the 1008's I had sitting in the garage, one was compressed and P2V didn't check out, so I went thicker.

Threw them out at the dump last week. doh.

 

regardless of the fact that there are "before" pictures throughout this thread, this thread was created not as a showcase for my build, but rather to aid me in rebuilding this 408. your comment bears no merit.

well, thanks anyhow... after a gasket has been compressed, does it remain in compressed thickness even after it has been removed from the engine?

if so, i can put a mic on the old gaskets, check their thickness and use them for claying. they should be around .070 but i can still determine p2v with a .039 gasket, right?

 

Might work. Just do the math, and see what ya get.

 

Yes, its the ring "crush" you are measuring, so to speak. the ring in the gasket stays crushed after you torque it down.

The Cometic Gaskets are reusable from what I understand. Some guys dress them with copper coat and some don't. I'd ask around for advice from people who run them.

I have heard that they tend to weep coolant on initial startup, but after the engine heat cycles, the silicone on the gasket seals the surfaces tight. Just be ready for that. I'd use a multi-step torque procedure of about 20 ft/lbs at a time to put them on to assure an even seal.

 

Interesting kinda new to this forum thing. Wont be asking for any more picture. My bad.

 

its not necessarily, the fact that he asked for pictures, its the fact that he posted the: "this thread is worthless without pics" emoticon...

i just got back from the shop.

looks real good. he had a piston and rod mock up in the block when i got there. i could tell that the quench pad was the only thing keeping the piston above the deck, once its gone, it'll be perfect.

he polished the crank journals to the point where i can use them as a mirror if i need to

the old gasket checked out at .055, he said he did NOT use that gasket originally, so the PO must have changed it for some reason. we'll just use those and subtract .016 from our p2v clearance. p2v shouldnt be a problem with the HUGE valve reliefs.

the PO requested .060 quench, i will be using .039 ( 0 deck clearance, .039 gasket)

the hone job looks nice, there were a few pinpoint specks that the hone would not clean up, but it appeared to be only discoloration. he said the discoloration wasnt a problem at all.

the flexplate and dampener are for an externally balanced engine, with that said, my machinist said he told the PO that he could proceed to balance with the externally balanced parts or neutral components. PO opted for the external parts, so i will do the same and have him balance it with the externally balanced components.

 

Coolness!! PROGRESS!!!!

Sounds like a good plan all the way around.

 

GLAD you approve!

Progress was slow.......and coming for a while there