Cosmetic or composite head gasket with 11.5:1 comp? pics add

I'm not real impressed with the shop that machined my block. Didn't fit the cam, didn't install oil shaft bushing and I don't like how they decked it. I told them 0 deck, so they take .002 off one side and .010 off the other to get 0 deck, but they left what looks like rust in the deck. It's smooth to the touch, but not sure it will seal a cometic. Can I use a composite gasket with 11.5:1 on a 511? I'll get some pics later. pics added

No need IMO 1009's should do just fine.

IMO, 1009's are not even an option on a 400 block.

If I were putting together it would get cometics.

Sorry Small block guy here, I thought all BB RB stuff was the same.

In theory they would work, but they often have the fire ring land on the edge, or just off the edge of the bore chamfer.
If they are like that, the wire gets pushed down into the bore, the combustion gasses get behind the fire ring and torch the gasket..... And then usually the head and block.

I have repaired several motors where this happened with 1009's.

OK, cometics. Should I spray block side of gasket with copper?

I'm at 11:6:1 on my 512/400 block build w/Eddy heads. Its been running Mr Gasket MRG-3247G for 2 yrs now. No issues.

Here are some answers for you. Just click on the link.

http://www.cometic.com/ft-2800-technical-support.html

Here's a good place to order them from


http://www.4secondsflat.com/Cometic-MLS_Gaskets.html

I've used a bunch of the good old standard over the counter Fel Pro blue composite head gaskets on motors with more compression than yours, no spray of any kind either If you doubt that the deck is smooth enough for Cometics, smoother than 50RA, then don't take a chance on them

I don't know what 50RA is.

Thanks for the link.

17059 Marine gaskets............

Thanks Dom. I will check those.

I'm still imagining the Cover Girl cosmetic head gaskets!

R.

Aluminum heads correct? I won't use anything other than Cometic gaskets if I'm running aluminum heads. The composite gaskets will brinell the head. Not necessarily a problem if you put the engine together once and leave it together, but I got tired of having the heads resurfaced each time I pulled them off. So Cometic gaskets save me money in the long run.

Plus they are re-usable. I finally installed my first set on my 422 after my 1009's blew into the intake valley. They are also going on the 512 and 572 I am building too

Cool,huh. Spell check sucks

Fel-Pro's started to fail on my 505 shortly after I got it together. Not sure of the probelem, but went back with Cometic and trouble free since.

Dave, go for it, 1009's, spray em with copper and fit them wet. Will be fine unless you are going on the bottle.

The fel Pro 1009 where design for the 4.250 bore sizes originally, not the 4.320+ sizes They also have the built in fire ring that should have a reciever groove in the heads or block to seal correctly

On my 400 block the fire ring was in the chamber that`s why the 17059 marine works...........

As others say......forget the 1009s. MUCH better gaskets available these days. While that deck is not super clean, it looks smooth enough for Cometics. Install them as Cometic says. Clean the decks, take them out of the pack, put them on and forget it.

As for "zero" decking your block, how they gonna do that? They need the crank, rods and pistons to do that accurately. Anything less is a guess. Sure, they can deck it to 10.720, but unless all the parts and measurements are perfect, it won't be zero deck. Sounds as though they just parallel decked it to the crank centerline, which IS the proper procedure. Final deck numbers are set after a mock up of parts you are using.

ok, I will do that as a member has offered a new set of cometics for this build at a great price. thanks
yes, the block was square decked to 9.980, which in theory may or may not get me 0 deck with the parts i'm using. I would think it would be + or - .005" which will work for me.