Started reassembling the Hemi today, it was a Cummins crate that I tore down and redid. I had Modern CNC the alum heads and put in all new Ferrea valves,Comp retainers and 10* locks. I have two choices on the oil pan, either the factory 6 qt. Hemi pan, or I have a Moroso 7qt. pan laying around. This engine will probably never see over 6500 rpm. The advantage of the Hemi pan is ground clearance, but I can live with either one. I will use a Melling high volume pump. This will be a street/strip car with A/C and PS, auto trans, fairly mild build, hoping for around 700 HP.
The other question is about head gasket sealing. I am going to use the Fel Pro 1104 gaskets. After hearing all kinds of horror stories about leaks, what do you Hemi builders recommend I use on them? Shoud I put a small bead of silicone around the water passages or should I spray the whole gasket with a sealer or just install as-is? Any tips appreciated as well as any other hemi assembly tips, I started on the short block today, crank is in and all clearances checked and good. I am using Speed-Pro plasma moly file fits and will run .026 end gap on the top ring, probably the same on the second, what say you? Thanks! Lee.

I use the 1970-71 stock street Hemi-440 6 pak pan on my street pump gas stroker motor, I shift it at or above 7000 RPM at the track. No problems on the street or track As far as the head gasket what does the deck on the block feel and look like? I had one of the new(not one of the newest World blocks) Hemi blocks that I did not deck and it leaked like a fiend, I had to take it apart and have the block decked(cut) to the proper finish, the stock finish was way to course to seal with strock steel shim head gaskets It sealed fine afterwards I use the .0045 per inch of bore on the top ring and a littel looser(.002 to .004 ) on the second ring Top ring, .0045 x 4.375=.0196 or .020 .024 to .026 on the second rings

Run the hemi pan and use Cometic head gaskets. Don't forget to seal the drainback holes at the lower corners with a dab of RTV. Never had a problem doing these this way.

MB

Thanks for the replies. My deck is also too coarse for the Cometics. Hopefully the Fel Pro's will seal, the factory one had a blue printoseal around the water but these do not. I will also stick with the Hemi pan. I picked the gap based on the possibility that at some point, I might try a 150 shot of NOS on it.