Kb399 questions

-

stumblinhorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
257
Reaction score
95
Location
Grand County, CO
I am trying to understand the kb399 specs so my machining instructions are clear.

The uem page says that they will be .010” above a 9.578” deck. It says they are -6.2cc or .200 dome. They are 1.81” compression height.

So my 69 la318 is supposed to be 9.599”-9.6” deck height.

So is the -6.2 cc depending on the piston being .010 above deck? Do I tell the machinist to “zero” the deck or bring the deck to 9.578 so the .01 above deck gives me the SCR I am calculating with the calculators?

Thanks again for the help.
 
The compression height places the nominally flat part of the piston at the specified height relative to the specified deck. So the nominal compression height with a standard 3.31" stroke and 6.123" rod will be .010" above 9.578" from the crank center line, or at 9.588". If you deck is at 9.600", then the compression height will be .012" below the deck.

The -6.2 cc is the net dome volume above the compression height. KB uses a negative number for a net eyebrow and dome volume that subtracts from the volume above the compression height (raises compression). KB uses a + number for a net eyebrow and dome volume that adds to the volume above the compression height (lowers compression). These numbers, CH and net dome and eyebrow volume, are entered into standard spreadsheets or other computation programs for figuring out static compression ratio.

Hope that is clear! What SCR are you wanting to achieve? I'll be happy to run numbers on this end to see if we agree.
 
Thanks! I just want to ensure I am around the 10.4 that I am calculating. I just don’t want my DCR way too low. I am now planning a 256 Lunati voodoo. And at my altitude (7000) I don’t want to be any lower than 7.4 DCR With that cam.
 
The problem with a 318 is making cylinder pressure at sealevel, nevermind at 7000 ft. I think you will need something like 11/1 for that cam. That means about 65.8cc total chamber volume. I'm pretty sure that's gonna be a problem.
A 360 would make your life way easier, jus saying.
Even if I had to put the entire teener top end on it,I would do that before I would spend a nickle on the teener short-block. The 360 will need about the same compression ratio, but now the total chamber volume required is ~74.4cc, easily made with 58cc heads, and KB107s.
So firstly the 360 is cheap to build, just slap it together, and
second is about 16% more bottom end, so 16% less gear required for same performance, and
third is the bonus horsepower, and
fourth is because she will require way less throttle opening to achieve any given speed, I'm pretty sure she will win any fuel-economy tests, and
fifth is,she will work reasonably well with whatever TC you now have, certainly waaay better than the teener would.

So all in all, I think your wallet would be way happier doing a 360; no decking, no shaving, no intake machining, no TC /no gears required, no new pushrods, and saving money at the pump every week.
And she's all set up for future mods. As she sits, she's ready for one cam bigger. With decking, another cam. With bigger heads, yur in trouble, unless the chambers remain the same. So right there, you are saving money again.
You can't hardly do any of that with the 11/1 teener, there's just no place to go cuz every single change would soften the already soft bottom end. And at 7000ft, giving up pressure is a really big deal.

Jus saying
 
Last edited:
Honestly can it be that bad? the motor is stock right now and runs pretty well. 107k miles doing great. Had the 675s redone and has hedman headers and at 7k feet with a Edelbrock 600 1405 it gets 13-14 mpg and the afr is just a bit on the rich side. Factory compression for that year motor was advertised at 9.2. If I can get to 10.4 and keep the cam small like that 256, it has to be better I would think.
 
With .030" overbore, stock stroke, 70 cc chambers, and .028" thick head gasket, I am getting 10.0 SCR. With the 253 Voodoo cam and 7000' elevation, the DCR is at 7.1.
If you want to get 7.4 then maybe shave the heads .015" or so. Or shave .025" and use a .039" head gasket.
 
With .030" overbore, stock stroke, 70 cc chambers, and .028" thick head gasket, I am getting 10.0 SCR. With the 253 Voodoo cam and 7000' elevation, the DCR is at 7.1.
If you want to get 7.4 then maybe shave the heads .015" or so. Or shave .025" and use a .039" head gasket.

hmm, when I use Wallace I used 3.94 bore, 3.31 stroke, 6.123 rod, 70 cc head chamber, -6 cc (dome), .028 and 4.06 gasket and 0 deck. I get 10.46 DCR and 7.43 effective DCR with 56* from the 256 voodoo.

With the dome I am not sure how to guarantee 0 deck.
 
hmm, when I use Wallace I used 3.94 bore, 3.31 stroke, 6.123 rod, 70 cc head chamber, -6 cc (dome), .028 and 4.06 gasket and 0 deck. I get 10.46 DCR and 7.43 effective DCR with 56* from the 256 voodoo.

With the dome I am not sure how to guarantee 0 deck.
My mistake! I used .012" below deck and forgot that you are going to deck the block to zero deck. So your numbers look right.

You deck the block to the CH of the piston, which should be the flat area around that piston. The dome does not enter into the decking computations.
 
@nm9stheham Ok that is the key that I didn’t understand! It is the 1.81 number that is used for 0 deck! I thought it was a measurement based on the top of the piston. Truly appreciate the education.

Here is the cam card for the Lunati.Cam Spec Card :: Lunati Power
You got it!

OK... that cam has the new PN of 10200701. Their catalog shows a 258 advertised intake duration but their online specs say 256.... so a catalog error.
 
Hang on boys, That KB399 looks exactly like a 167 with a Q-pad,
In order for KB to call it a 6cc dome They musta cast it with about an 11cc pad, which is ~.050, am I right?
At 9.600, the flat part of the piston would already be getting close to zero deck, being just .0095 below, which would put the dome at .0405 above deck, right?Let's talk about the Q; Since the 70cc head is about .080 deep and adding .028 for the gasket
I get; .080+.028 -.0405=.0675Q;smack in the middle of the detonation-prone zone, which I have heard is .050 to .080. Am I wrong?

I like that piston, but I'd Mill the tops off them, to .009 above deck; then use it with a 58cc closed chamber head, and the 1008 FelPro at .039 .. Now your Q will be .030, and your Scr at 58+8.8+5-2for the pop-up=69.8...... (662.3+69.8)/69.8 =10.488Scr

Then with a 56*ICA and 7000ft, Mr Wallace says:
#1) Static compression ratio of 10.488:1.
Effective stroke is 2.74 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 8.84:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is
148.68 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is
119 ................................ 119
Not very potent but that's pretty good for 7000 ft

But if you're gonna do that, you might as well use the KB 167s and shave the heads .009 for similar results.

Just so you know, here is the stock 69-318 at 9.2Scr and at 500ft with an ICA of 48*
Static compression ratio of 9.2:1.
Effective stroke is 2.89 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 8.15:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 164.89 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 137 .......................... 137
You are already 119/137=87% or 13% down in low-rpm power.

Any combo you build wants to end up at 137VP to feel like the stocker at 500ft, and to use the stock TC and gears. Without that VP, you will be looking at a TC for sure, and probably more gear depending on your needs and wants.

_____________360s from here down____________________________

How about:
A 360 with the 62cc iron closed-chamber heads, and KB107s which drop in at about .012 in the holes, and the .028 gasket; might have a Q of .040, and might be
62+2.5deck+6.3gasket+5pockets=75.8 total chamber volume, and
(744.6+75.8)/75.8 =10.8Scr, and

Static compression ratio of 10.8:1.
Effective stroke is 2.97 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 9.13:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 156.35 PSI.

V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 141 ........................ 141POW!
Check it out; 141/119= plus 18.5% more bottom end; that's the equivalent of about 2 gearsizes or from 2.76 to 3.23s

In other words this 360 with 2.76s will perform similarly the#1) listed 318, with 3.23s. So if mileage is important to you.......
But if it isn't, then the 360 with 3.23s would be a real good mover at 7000 ft. 141 VP is a lot of VP,and the 25x* cam is a stump puller.
________________
Still 360
But lets say you can't afford heads. How about putting your 70cc heads onto a KB167 equipped 360 short, still at .012 deck clearance. now we get:
70+2.5+6.3+5= 83.8, with a Q of .120 or better; and
(744.6+83.8)/83.8=9.885, and

Static compression ratio of 9.885:1.
Effective stroke is 2.97 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 8.37:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 136.38 PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 123 ........................... 123

Well that sucks; IMO, not worth the 3.4% improvement in VP.
____________________

So how about the KB190s with the .050 pop-ups. the Q works out to .081 so just barely out of danger.Ok we can mill the heads to work with the 190s. So take .040 off the heads for a Q of ; (.080 less .040 mill)+.039+.012-.050Qpad=.041 Nice Q but that's a lot of milling.
____________________
>How about the KB 191s with .200 pop-up, well, no, that's too much.
We only have ~.080+.039+.012=.131 less .040target =.091, so .200 means milling the pistons.109...I vote back to the KB191s and mill the pistontops; it will be way faster, make the heads fit better. and probably cost less.
Now again the heads ~.080, the pistons are down .012 and the gasket .039 and totals .131 and we might as well target a tight Q of .031 so we have an allowable pop-up of .100. And that means a cut to all pistons of .100.
Ok so that's working; what does this get us for Scr?
Heads at 70cc, gasket at 8.8cc, and 2.5cc in the deck clearance,plus 5cc for the eyebrows, and less (guessing) 6cc for the domes ; totals 80.3 total chamber volume; I think that's right.
And (744.6 +80.3)/80.3=10.27Scr
Static compression ratio of 10.27:1.
Effective stroke is 2.97 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 8.69:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 144.74
PSI.
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 131 ............................... 131
Not real good but still 131/119=plus 10% bottom end performance over the best the 318 could do. That's worth one gear size easy on the startline, and getting closer to the 137 of the stocker at 500ft.
__________________

Ideally this 360 combo wants
Static compression ratio of 10.95:1.
Effective stroke is 2.97 inches.
Your dynamic compression ratio is 9.25:1 .
Your dynamic cranking pressure is 159.55 PSI.......................... 159.5
V/P (Volume to Pressure Index) is 144 ......................... 144 POW!!

To get 10.95, would take a total chamber volume of 744.6/9.95=74.83cc.
This would require a bit of milling to the heads and and adjustment to the Q, to achieve.

Bottom line is this:
Any combo you build wants to end up at 137VP just to feel like the stocker at 500ft, and to use the stock TC and gears. Without that VP, you will be looking at a TC for sure, and probably more gear depending on your needs and wants.
By the time you add up the COST of all the machining,the port matching, and assuming the intake will still seal, and the new installed TC , and probably new installed gears; IMO, you couldda had a 360 for same/similar/bit more, bottom end, tons more midrange and a big fat power power hit on top. Don't lose sight of the
DOLLAR per smiles ratio.



Jus trying to help
 
Last edited:
I already have 2.02 j heads that are cut .008. I am cutting the deck at 9.578 which according to KB, put the pistons .010 above deck. So I think I am going to be closer than .0675. I think a lot closer. Piston specs say it is a .200” dome...
 
??? Not sure where the Q-pad idea is coming from ...??? It is .200" dome down in the middle of the domed part of the chamber, not under the shallow 'open' part of the chamber where a q-pad would be. A q-pad would be above the eyebrows, not below them like this piston's dome. I don't see any q-pad in the pix. The upper flat part of the piston, above the eyebrows, is going to well over .100" from the open area in the head, if done as the OP describes.

FWIW, the -6 cc's is the net of the eyebrow volume minus the dome volume. Since the eyebrows are around 5-6 cc's volume, the dome is 11-12 cc's. So that part checks out.
 
In other words this 360 with 2.76s will perform similarly the earlier listed 318 with 3.23s. So if mileage is important to you.......
But if it isn't, then the 360 with 3.23s would be a real good mover at 7000 ft. 141 VP is a lot of VP,and the 25x cam is a stump puller.
He has a 318, AJ. A 360 would be more fun.
 
I already have 2.02 j heads that are cut .008. I am cutting the deck at 9.578 which according to KB, put the pistons .010 above deck. So I think I am going to be closer than .0675. I think a lot closer. Piston specs say it is a .200” dome...

.010 is probably pretty close assuming .012 down in a 9.600 block.
I didn't realize you had already bought parts and began machining.

A Q of .0675 is smack in the middle of what I keep hearing, is the detonation zone, from .050 to .080.

My catalog says .150 over .050 so total .200 would be correct.
 
.010 is probably pretty close assuming .012 down in a 9.600 block.
I didn't realize you had already bought parts and began machining.

A Q of .0675 is smack in the middle of what I keep hearing, is the detonation zone, from .050 to .080.

My catalog says .150 over .050 so total .200 would be correct.
.0675 would be about right IF there was a .050" quench pad..... but the current KB info shows no quench pad in the descriptive info (where they always mention it like for KB232's for a 360) nor does it show in the pix for the KB399. The piston-top catalog code for a KB piston for a quench pad piston is 'QH'.... the KB399 is listed as 'FT' (flat-top).

Is this perhaps in an OLD catalog? Or is this begin confused with the KB232's or 373's (which DO have quench pads)?
 
Last edited:
Good questions; IDK. This is all I got. It does seem a little murky.

KB Hyper Piston - Chry 318 Rod 6.123 Solid Dome -6cc 2V
M26871.png
 
-
Back
Top