I forgot to mention that those clearances are for the stock type 5/16 stem valves

Forgot to mention, but I'm pretty sure mine were set up w/ .0015" intake and close to .002" exhaust stem clearances w/ the std. 5/16" valves.

Thanks Chip, This is what I am looking for, clearances and advice on parts as well as real world experience.

Before the thread dies, Please share with me what piston rings/piston brands and types are the best for sealing up the bore. For instance, what is the tightest piston to bore and what piston do you use? Also, what ring size is available?
Thanks

The piston alloy(4032 for street motors, not 2618 ) will determine what clearances are needed, any GOOD brand of forged pistons and a good set, not a cheap rebuilder set of 1/16,1/16 3/16 (standard tension oil rings) size file to fit moly rings should work real well, I shoot for .0045 per inch of bore size(.0045 X 4.310= .01935 end gap, round it up to .020) tight and .0050 per inch on the second ring and go have some tire smoking fun , not oil smoking fun
I do have the machine shop hone all my blocks with a torque plate and the type of head gasket the motor will run and add .0005 additional piston to wall clearances for all my street and strip or bracket race only motors

Thanks Cab, I notice you don't run "gapless" rings. The 4032 alloy is JE is it not? I don't remember other manufacturers mentioning it.

Some of the after market company don't offer that tight clearance 4032 alloy Ross being one of them
JE,SRP and Diamond as well as probably several other do offer any of their custom piston in either alloy
JE doesn't own that alloy, the foundries make the piston blanks and the piston makers finish them

My pistons are Diamonds using the typical 1/16", 1/16", 3/16" ring pack. Have been using Total Seal plasma moly rings, not gapless.
I'll be switching to whatever ring Diamond recommends me to run for nitrous.

I like tighter piston clearance for noise reduction but once the negine is warmed the higher expansion alloys are supposed to be just as tight as the low expansion ones. Unless you have a really loose piston to wall clearance I dont think it would make it use a bunch of oil unless you had an insuficent ring and bore finish combo.

I plan on doing whatever it takes to make the bores straight and true. If it has to be bored to do this, what is the next available ring/piston size above 4.350?

4.360 That is .040 above the stock 440 4.320 bore size
Make sure that you get the ring size correct for your application and that those rings are in stock

What block are you using? If that is a stock Hemi block then 4.35 is already too big and could be part of your problem.

This is a timely post for me. I have been running my 528 Hemi on the street for about 7 years now, and after finally solving recurring intake gasket sealing issues by going to Superformance gaskets, oil consumption went down, but it still is excessive. I am getting ready to pull the Hemi out to put it in my wifes 'Cuda, and I think I will pull the heads and have them freshned up with emphasis on the guides/seals as I believe this is where the problem lies. I like to see these subjects come up in the race section as most of the Hemi guru's here have a lot of knowledge and talent that really helps those of us who don't know all of the idiosyncrasies and tricks that make a hemi great. When I bought Rich Nedbals book on Hemi's, there was a lot of info missing and I called him. Rich told me that the publishers edited tons of really good info out for cost reasons. Thank God we can come on here and get great advice from guys with the "Been there' Done that" T shirt. Thanks to all!

It is a siamease bore Mega block