Posted By: tntmachine
measuring deck height - 01/05/11 01:39 AM
How do you accurately measure the deck height in a bare B or RB?
measuring deck height
Posted By: LA360
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 01:53 AM
The piston's relation to the deck of the block or the physical deck height of the block?
Posted By: tntmachine
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 01:54 AM
physical deck height
Posted By: bigtimeauto
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 01:55 AM
deck to the bearing saddle then add 1/2 of the bearing saddle bore.
Posted By: Get-X
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 01:57 AM
I normally just hook the top of a main bore with a caliper and measure to the deck. Then add half of the main bore dimension and that gets you close.
Posted By: LA360
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 02:08 AM
I believe BHJ make tooling to measure it also
Posted By: 440Jim
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 02:14 AM
You can get close with a large (12") caliper to the main bearing saddle. It will take measurement skill or you could be way off.
But to get the last few thousandths, you need to put a bar in the main bores/bearings and a dial indicator with a 90 degree fixture from the deck down to the bar.
Are you trying to get within 0.010" or within 0.001" ?
But to get the last few thousandths, you need to put a bar in the main bores/bearings and a dial indicator with a 90 degree fixture from the deck down to the bar.
Are you trying to get within 0.010" or within 0.001" ?
Posted By: Bob_Coomer
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 03:28 AM
One of the hardest physical measurements to make on a block at home, if not impossible to be accurate.
Heck some machine shops cant get that correct either.
Like the others said, you measure off the center of the main bore. You couldn't imagine how easy it would be to be off .008 using calipers and adding 1/2 the bearing I.D.
It be more easy to throw a old crank rod and one piston in the 4 corners and you could have a close measurement.
Then who's to say the crank index or rod length is spot on? Cause there Not.
Heck some machine shops cant get that correct either.
Like the others said, you measure off the center of the main bore. You couldn't imagine how easy it would be to be off .008 using calipers and adding 1/2 the bearing I.D.
It be more easy to throw a old crank rod and one piston in the 4 corners and you could have a close measurement.
Then who's to say the crank index or rod length is spot on? Cause there Not.
Posted By: dfsmopars
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 03:36 AM
Quote:
I normally just hook the top of a main bore with a caliper and measure to the deck. Then add half of the main bore dimension and that gets you close.
I've done it and gotten real good numbers.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 03:48 AM
Quote:
How do you accurately measure the deck height in a bare B or RB?
Take it to a machine shop and have them put the
plates and shaft on it to do it right... if your
ordering pistons
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 03:54 AM
Quote:Quote:
How do you accurately measure the deck height in a bare B or RB?
Take it to a machine shop and have them put the
plates and shaft on it to do it right... if your
ordering pistons
Posted By: robnbird
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 05:01 AM
Call your local performance machine shop. They should be able to do the measurement. 
Posted By: 5spdcuda
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 05:29 AM
I agree with those that say a dial caliper isn't accurate enough. Even in a best case scenario with a lot of care and skill the best you can hope to determine is deck height at the mid line of the bore. It would still be all but impossible to determine if the deck was tilted ie. not exactly 90* to the crank centerline. Also the main bearing bores should be align bored prior to making any measurements. You can't do that at home so you may as well let the machine shop check the decks while it's there.
Posted By: robnbird
Re: measuring deck height - 01/05/11 05:34 AM
I like to set my block down on a good smooth concrete floor and a painted floor will get ye better results. make sure there ain't on gasket material on the bottom of the block where ye oil pan was. Now get ye one of these wooden yard sticks, stick it down through the top of the cylinder, let the stick catch the top of the cylinder and get your buddy to eye ball about where the center of the main crank jurnal should be cut a good notch in the stick where it catches the top of the cylinder. Now your about there take a good tape measure and measure from the bottom of the stick to the cut notch and uh you should get the same results on both sides. glad to help.
Posted By: tntmachine
Re: measuring deck height - 01/08/11 12:09 AM
Thanks Rob that's how I do it. I just wanted to validate that I was doing it correctly.