Why is it so hard to get good advice !!???

Frankenduster said
The pistons are flat tops, sitting .017 in the hole with a .039 head gasket. This puts me at the edge of quench with the .056 number.

First off my Challenger was .056 "quench" and 11.12 to 1 static and 8.5ish dynamic and raced on local 93 at track (no mixing) Iron block and aluminum heads... Felpro .039 HG I used.
Don't mind the kid in the video first time I took him for ride as he showed up at my garage one day and always wanted to help.. :glasses7:

comp XR286R cam - Indy MW CNC EZ's - Max Wedge Intake - Dominator carb, you know all the stuff that isnt "streetable"
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz-szQ1yrgY"]Dodge Challenger 500" N/A Pump Gas - YouTube[/ame]

72ScampTramp said
EVERYONE else online thinks that the thicker head gaskets would reduce the quench effect and make the engine MORE likely to detonate.

yes

Frankenduster said
The saga continues.
Some members have mentioned that my .056 quench distance is too wide to be effective. They said a thicker head gasket would NOT hurt quench since I'm already out of the effective range anyway. I tend to believe this for a couple of reasons. 1) The 383 and 440 Magnum used open chambered iron heads with 10.0 compression and ran on premium fuel. ZERO quench in those engines. Mine could have 10.27 with .060 Cometic gaskets or 10.45 with the MUCH cheaper .051 composition gaskets.

As far as your factory numbers gas was different back then right? I would rather have 11.5 compression with .056"quench" than 10.5 to 1 compression with .070 "quench"
Throwing on a thick head gasket to bring compression down to keep pump gas friendly is not the answer IMO... Also solid roller cams are easier to get the higher intake valve closing. Do I believe at some point "quench" effectiveness goes away? sure dunno what the magic numbers are though...

as moper said....... cam change. lots recommend Dwayne Porter for that