What is Quench

rumblefish360 said
Good posts fellas.

Running a distance of .030 or less will require good parts as old or sub par parts will stretch a bit and smack a piston into the head. So! Novice builders beware! Don’t go hay wire on super close clearances!

Agreed 1000%. The local circle track guys here go down to .025" and that is with detailed measurements. I'd keep typical builds up at .035" and not worry if it got up to .045". For a long term street motor, wear on bearings and pistons (with more consequent piston rock) will allow the gap to close up over the very long term.

Garry in AZ said
While the terms “quench” and “squish” are often used interchangeably .....

Raising hand... guilty as charged!

So am I the only one who remembers the TRW 'quench dome' pistons that were made for certain open chamber heads in the 70's? Probably not made for Mopars, I am now thinking.

mbaird said
My dilemma was that I was running the stock magnum piston with a 5cc dish and EQ closed chamber head.
I decked the block to bring the compression up and used a .028 gasket which left me with around .038 between the piston edge and head but the dish area was considerably more ( dont recall exact depth of dish) so I wonder how that effeects my squish ?

Good question.. I have always assumed that if you get around 1/2" or more of squish width, you are good, but that is just an assumption based on nothing but my imagination... Don't you get some from both edges?