70 440 HP head gsasket

[mopar Robert]

What head gasket is best for a 70 440 HP motor? Rebuilding one and was wondering what others have used

[cdr]

What head gasket is best for a 70 440 HP motor? Rebuilding one and was wondering what others have used

its not that simple, type of finish on the deck & heads, Alum heads, what pistons & how far down the hole are they [are you looking for quench?]

[Challenger340]

The factory used a .020" thick steel shim head gasket, but as Charlie indicated it's not that simple anymore, mainly because if you are "rebuilding", and assuming it's been Bored & Honed with new Pistons there is NO SUCH THING anymore as the "correct" 1970 Piston Height in the aftermarket ?
So Compression Ratio, Quench distance and surface finishes on the Block & Heads ALL become factors you should address for best results ?

WHAT Pistons are in the 1970 "hp" Engine ?
and
how far down the hole are they at TDC ?

[mopar Robert]

It's bored 30 over and has 11 to 1 compression. Got the motor almost all done so not sure what pistons and how far down they are.

[Challenger340]

It's bored 30 over and has 11 to 1 compression. Got the motor almost all done so not sure what pistons and how far down they are.

OK wait a second here.
You don't know how far down the hole @ TDC the Piston is ?
You don't know the the Piston Part # ?

WHO told you.... or what makes you then believe it's anywhere even close to "11 to 1" ?

Just say'in here....
it may be in your best interest later on, to slow down a bit now and verify what you have BEFORE just throwing parts at it and bolting things together ?
because....
highly doubtful in my experience, that you are anywhere even CLOSE to 11:1

[c00nhunterjoe]

Regardless of where they sit in the hole at this point; how can you tell me the compression ratio if you havnt selected a head gasket or what heads are going on it?

[mopar Robert]

Just going what by what I was told when I bought the engine what he told me what was done to it. Said has 67 closed chamber heads, 11 to 1 compression, six pack rods, lumpy cam and bored 30 over. I didn't do any work to it yet

[BSB67]

Just so you understand where the responders (i.e. skeptics) to your post are coming from.  Probably 4 out of 5 guys that are told their BB Mopar engine is 10:1 or 11:1 compression ratio find out that it is not true.   Unfortunately, a lot of dishonest people out there.

Posting some picture would be a good start, but the piston part number and/or the measured actual piston to deck height will help us help you.

And, if by chance you do have an actual 11:1 compression ratio, there is no head gasket that will allow you to run that engine on any pump gas.

[ACUDANUT]

 Correct and the 440 HP head gaskets are very rare.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Just going what by what I was told when I bought the engine what he told me what was done to it. Said has 67 closed chamber heads, 11 to 1 compression, six pack rods, lumpy cam and bored 30 over. I didn't do any work to it yet

Your last reply states "got it almost done" so now im more confused.

[Challenger340]

I'll cut to the bottom line here, NO mileage in this for me, and my apologies if I offend.

You MOST PROBABLY have a high 8's to maybe 9:1 Compression 440 Engine with the 915 Heads, and it doesn't make a hill of beans WHAT Head Gasket you use.

Don't believe me ?
READ THIS:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,118292.0.html

THEN GO PULL OFF A HEAD and verify for yourself !   

Because the 915's are most probably in the 82-84CC range depending how far the Valves are sunk, and your 030" over Flat Top Pistons will be minimum .090" and more probably .120" or even MORE down the hole at TDC.

GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF !

[BSB67]

I'll cut to the bottom line here, NO mileage in this for me, and my apologies if I offend.

You MOST PROBABLY have a high 8's to maybe 9:1 Compression 440 Engine with the 915 Heads, and it doesn't make a hill of beans WHAT Head Gasket you use.

Don't believe me ?
READ THIS:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,118292.0.html

THEN GO PULL OFF A HEAD and verify for yourself !   

Because the 915's are most probably in the 82-84CC range depending how far the Valves are sunk, and your 030" over Flat Top Pistons will be minimum .090" and more probably .120" or even MORE down the hole at TDC.

GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF !

You're such a negative Nancy.  Bob, what I really like about you is you sometimes actually make me look like a soft and gentle person.   

Of course you know I generally agree with you.  But I will leave open the chance that it might have a 2.06" CD piston (less likely) or the 1.991" CD piston.  These could put him in the low 10s or low 9s CR with a shim gasket and other decent and reasonable machine work.

[Challenger340]

I'll cut to the bottom line here, NO mileage in this for me, and my apologies if I offend.

You MOST PROBABLY have a high 8's to maybe 9:1 Compression 440 Engine with the 915 Heads, and it doesn't make a hill of beans WHAT Head Gasket you use.

Don't believe me ?
READ THIS:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,118292.0.html

THEN GO PULL OFF A HEAD and verify for yourself !   

Because the 915's are most probably in the 82-84CC range depending how far the Valves are sunk, and your 030" over Flat Top Pistons will be minimum .090" and more probably .120" or even MORE down the hole at TDC.

GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF !

You're such a negative Nancy.  Bob, what I really like about you is you sometimes actually make me look like a soft and gentle person.   

Of course you know I generally agree with you.  But I will leave open the chance that it might have a 2.06" CD piston (less likely) or the 1.991" CD piston.  These could put him in the low 10s or low 9s CR with a shim gasket and other decent and reasonable machine work.

LMAO !
YEP I am, and I'll admit it !

But in my own defense I will call it a product of my environment, because just seen this same movie so many times in the past it gets pathetic, again my apologies here.

You're absolutely right...
if he's REALLY lucky(like 4 times out of 100) it's possible there "could" be some 2.06" C.D. Pistons, which like you said with a steel shim and some 82 CC 915's could yield well in the 10's ? And usually too high C.R. for Pump gas on the Iron heads ?
or,
maybe 25 out of 100 with the 1.99" C.D. Pistons and a steel shim could see low 9's, and those run OK with a 268H or similar ? but still pretty poor quench efficiency.
but that said...
and just in my experience anyways with the core Block "returns" we see coming back here at the shop
gotta be 2/3 or MORE of the time.... the entire REASON a set of Iron Closed Chambers like the 915 or 516 is present is BECAUSE somebody goofed in the first place and bought the 1.91" C.D. Pistons ?

NANCY out LOL !

[mopar Robert]

I meant when I said I got it almost done is I bought it that way. It was rebuilt the and he said all it needed was a gasket kit and the bolts torqued down and little things

[BSB67]

It was rebuilt the and he said all it needed was a gasket kit and the bolts torqued down and little things

There is no doubt in my mind that that is what he told you.........

[c00nhunterjoe]

I meant when I said I got it almost done is I bought it that way. It was rebuilt the and he said all it needed was a gasket kit and the bolts torqued down and little things

Then what is the pn stamped on the top of the pistons.

[metallicareload99]

...THEN GO PULL OFF A HEAD and verify for yourself ! ...
GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF !

What is the best way to check this if one does not have a deck bridge!?!

[BSB67]

Straight edge and a feeler gauge

[mopar Robert]

If I get time this weekend I'm going to pull a head off and take a look and see what I find out