that is getting a bit much IMHO. it seems from the educated people .030 is minimum and .045 is max with .040 being desired. Often people talk about .030 simpley because the slugs are down the hole and there chasing compression.
2 possible options, cut the cylinders so your at .000 deck or try to find a base gasket at .010. Cometic make several but do not know what cylinder size you have

one of these may be right, can but them from several places but may have to order them in some times.

Thanks Ozy. The bore size is 3.875. I will chase a 0.010 head gasket, failing that I will get the cylinders decked. I really appreciate your input bloke.

I will post a pic above of my piston down the hole.

you need to measure the OD of the cylinder spigot I don't have a set here to check, and make sure you are chasing Base gaskets not head gaskets.
You can buy cometic stuff direct from SERCO in Brisbane if you have trouble getting them local or mail order them into Aust I guess

Your numbers don't make sense.
A 103 with flat tops and stock heads, even at 20 thou' down would put you around 9.6 static ?
What heads ?
Not sure what Ozy is smoking, but you don't want a base gasket for a 103.

speedzter is right, the numbers don't make sense. If you have .049" clearance with a .030" gasket, that equates to .019" in the hole. Your third post says "If you look at the pic above, the piston is 0.02 down the hole." That would be right on the money with a .030" HG. @ .032" quench. Stock TC 88/96/103/110 engines use an "O" rings instead of base gaskets, large TC (113/120) engines use base gaskets. Rob

Thanks Guys, The heads are ported with over sized valves, measured to 83.5cc, the heads have been decked 0.008 so I dont know if I need to change the entry in the calculator for the deck height from 0.020 to 0.012?  The piston is defiantly 20 thou in the hole. The guy who sold me the 103 kit has said this in his email to me;

.020 sounds good. The last 103" we did at .020 did 102hp with 107 fpt. The compression is based on HD specs. The piston is exactly the same as the HD 10.0:1 pistons with the exception of the larger valve pockets to accommodate a larger valve and reduce the compression to 9.8:1 I would run a .040 head gasket or if you want to get to 10.0:1 a .030 gasket and you will should be good.

I must have had too many mushies last night. When the comp calculator asked for deck height I entered 0.049 which is what I will have with the piston .019 down the hole plus the 0.030 head gasket. I changed the deck height to .019 on the calculator and now I am getting 9.7:1 static comp and 9.19 corrected comp.

Should I proceed and be happy with 9.7:1 static comp and 9.19 corrected comp? or shave 0.019 of the top of the cylinder to make 10.05:1 static comp and 9.51 corrected comp?

Rollies are saying my cams like 10.0:1 to 10.5:1 Compression.

Because my piston net dome cc is -4 vps this is bringing my compression down.

Thanks so much, I bought all my parts when I was working and now I am a doll bludger and I cant afford to pay an engine builder.

I have read on hear that 0.000 deck height and the 0.030 is a good way to go.

 

First off, measure the deck high yourself. Even though the guy that sold you the kit said piston is in the hole by .020", check it for yourself. "Trust but verify". - Rob

I think you know the answer .
If you don't set it up correctly now, you will always wonder !
What Cams ?

The 302-2 has such low TDC lift, you should have no problem with valve clearance.
If you measurements are indeed accurate, take .018 of your cylinders.

Don't worry about the heads, just the cylinders/pistons close to zero deck and your good.

Thanks Speedzter, you are the man. I checked the measurement with feeler gauge technique. The pistons are 0.22mm or 0.00866 down the hole when piston is TDC.
I have dropped the cylinders in for machining. I have instructed them to remove 0.22mm. He has chosen to remove this from the bottom of the cylinder and not the top. I hope this is okay? If the job was going cost more than 100 bucks I was going to leave the cylinders be but they are being done for $100.00 for the pair, I had to negotiate him down 10 bucks.

They are being machined later in the week but I was also wandering if I could have made custom copper head gaskets at 0.021 inch if I would get the same result, providing of coarse I could buy copper sheet at the correct thickness?

Thanks again mate, I am very grateful, I owe you a few bourbons or ales.

I have instructed them to remove 0.22mm. He has chosen to remove this from the bottom of the cylinder and not the top. I hope this is okay?

I was told by an engine builder today that I could just remove the middle layer of the Cometic 0.030 gasket as this middle section is around the 0.008 that I need to make up.

Can be done , but the middle section of the .030 MLS Cometic is around 10 thou'
Probably put you under 30 thou if your measurements are accurate.

Thanks Guys, I will leave the cylinders where they are to be machined. When I get them back I will put them on and I should have 0.000 deck height. Then I will assemble with the 0.030 MLS head gasket.

With my heads being decked 0.008 using the Big Boys Comp Calculator I should have a static comp of 10.2:1 with a corrected comp of 9.66:1.

My cams like a comp of between 10:1 and 10.5:1, I am assuming the cam manufacturer is talking about static comp?

I think I am good to run with this set up, do you see any problems? I cant wait to win the forum competition and get the free dyno to see my numbers. I am hoping for 110/115.