rudy_balboa

The 347 I painstakingly built a few years ago is still pulling its weight, but a windfall of cash has 'forced' me into upgrades....New setup:
1978 vintage block, .030" over
Forged crank, forged H-beam rods, Mahle coated pistons
~11.3-11.6 comp ratio, fed with 91 octane with a bit of 100 octane
RHS 215cc aluminum heads, very mild porting (primarily clean-up)
Comp Cams 286 solid roller, .614"/.621" lift, 248/254 degrees at .050"
Comp Cams steel 1.6 rockers, 7/16" studs with aluminum girdle
ARP head studs, ARP main studs and steel main girdle
Weiand Tunnel Ram, port matched
2x 600 Holley DP's, choke horns machined off
MSD 6AL box, Blaster E-coil, cheapo Summit distributor (only one that fit with the intake)

Question is, theres about a million different types of head gaskets out there, some simple and cheap, most complicated and expensive, and for the life of me, I cant find a good guide to what you need for what application. This motor is gonna be in a (primarily) Saturday Night Special, with the occasional run to the strip. A NOS port nitrous system is more than likely in the future, depending on how much trouble I can get into on the motor alone. I know the 302 is already hurting in the head gasket area, because of the 10 studs per side and them being 7/16" instead of the fat 351 1/2" studs. Im tempted to go copper, but hate retourquing, and Ive heard bad things about sealing around water passages. Im trying to stay away from O-ringing the heads/block, but if the spray comes into the situation, might have to. Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.....

Venomantidote95

I dont see why you cant use the felpro 1011-2 gasket!

They work with most aluminum heads, i dont see a problem with yours! i dont think the recommended heads gaskets for them would be worth anything with a nitrous setup!

I thought of going copper once but i seen the extras you had to do with them, and the price and decieded not too!

rudy_balboa

I usually run the fel-pro's, but with the amount Im stepping this thing up, not sure if I should keep trusting them. Sure, theyve lived well enough in a NA 10.2:1 ratio pump gas motor, that never really saw the other side of 6500 rpm. But with a whole lot more cam, more than a point more compression, and the possibility of some spray......Im just not fully confident.

rudy_balboa

Also, whats the difference between the 1011-1 and the 1011-2 gaskets? Summit lists the only difference is steel vs. copper sealing ring.

luckythirteen13

some people will say you cant run a steel fire ring with aluminum heads because they will damage the heads but thats BS. get the steel ring, its what i always run with aluminum heads

Venomantidote95

WEll my last setup was 10.0:1 with 150hp with the 1011-2`s this time 10.6:1 with 250 on a progressor but keep in mind this setup not running yet! I did use the 1011-2`s again though!

I tried a set of 01`s and they made ring impressions in the heads cause the car ran hot!