440 .020" Composite Head Gaskets Available?

[bobs66440]

I'm building my 440 with Stealth heads and Summit 6401 cam. The .030 pistons are .085" in the hole. I cc'd the heads at 83cc which brings my compression ratio to 9.0:1 using .040 composite gaskets. I was hoping for 9.5:1 as that is what the cam calls for minimum. I also ran the numbers through my desktop dyno and the difference is about 10 hp and 10 lb/ft, which isn't huge, but if I can find a thinner gasket, it's easy power.

Thanks!  

[Nacho-RT74]

metallic is the way to go

[bobs66440]

metallic is the way to go

I can't use them with aluminum heads though. 

[Nacho-RT74]

really? didn't know 

[justcruisin]

Apparently steel head gaskets and alloy heads don't mix. They won't seal for long and can have corrosion issues. In saying that I raced a 4cyl Mazda on an oval dirt
track for a number of years, it was blowing 25 psi boost and kept blowing head gaskets, had a steel gasket made for it, slapped it down with a bit of copper coat and never had another problem. Don't think I would risk it in something that wasn't expendable though.

Cometic are available in 0.027", multi layer stainless.

New pistons might work.

[terrible one]

Cometic are available in 0.027", multi layer stainless.

New pistons might work.

These?

http://www.netgaskets.com/COMETIC_Head_Gasket_CHRYS_361_383_413_440_4_35_p/cometic%20c5460-a.htm

[justcruisin]

Yep, that's it. The speal sounds good but no personal experience with them myself.

[bobs66440]

Hmm. Interesting. Thanks, I'll check them out.

[Chryco Psycho]

Cometic gaskets work fine with Alum heads & will not tear over time with the different expansion rates but I am not sure you can get them quite that thin