popinsmoke
Well-Known Member
Gentlemen,
I am going to try to give you the readers digest version of my situation.
I bought a 408 stroker short block that due to my own error I did not catch the fact that this short block must be used with open chamber heads.
Shortly after taking delivery of the short block I have to have shoulder surgery on both shoulders 4 plus months recovery each side, so the short block sat for the better part of a year.
So last week I install the oil pump, pan, cam XE268H, and timing cover, mock up a head and clay they piston to check my piston to valve clearance and it hits me like a big bucket of stupid the piston hit the the head Doh!
The piston is a stepped KB with a raised quench pad that sticks above the deck, my heads are RHS LAX heads with a closed chamber just like the manufacture said not to use had I caught the warning.
So now I am looking at options and or solutions?
Do I dump money into a set of open chamber 596 heads that I have on the shelf?
Do I pull the rods and pistons out and have the quench pads milled?
Run a custom really thick head gasket?
Buy the Edelbrock heads that have the .60 machine into the chamber to clear the above deck pistons found in the 68-71 340's?
Start a shop fire and collect the insurance (kidding mostly)?
I am still kicking myself for not catching that the short block would not work with closed chamber heads which I already had.
Thanks for reading this far any advice is appreciated.
I am going to try to give you the readers digest version of my situation.
I bought a 408 stroker short block that due to my own error I did not catch the fact that this short block must be used with open chamber heads.
Shortly after taking delivery of the short block I have to have shoulder surgery on both shoulders 4 plus months recovery each side, so the short block sat for the better part of a year.
So last week I install the oil pump, pan, cam XE268H, and timing cover, mock up a head and clay they piston to check my piston to valve clearance and it hits me like a big bucket of stupid the piston hit the the head Doh!
The piston is a stepped KB with a raised quench pad that sticks above the deck, my heads are RHS LAX heads with a closed chamber just like the manufacture said not to use had I caught the warning.
So now I am looking at options and or solutions?
Do I dump money into a set of open chamber 596 heads that I have on the shelf?
Do I pull the rods and pistons out and have the quench pads milled?
Run a custom really thick head gasket?
Buy the Edelbrock heads that have the .60 machine into the chamber to clear the above deck pistons found in the 68-71 340's?
Start a shop fire and collect the insurance (kidding mostly)?
I am still kicking myself for not catching that the short block would not work with closed chamber heads which I already had.
Thanks for reading this far any advice is appreciated.