273 Build

I guess If the tensioner doesn't work out I can always change it back to original. All the new engines have them and they were recommended in a Mopar engine book. The same with the 1/64th" hole in the left oil galley to keep the
fuel pump eccentric lubed. If it causes too much oil in the timing cover and lots of oil leaks I will have to change it back to the way it was in 1966. I checked my actual compression today with a 100 cc graduated cylinder. I wanted to know whether I should use the fat "perma-torque blue" head gaskets or the thin
Mopar gaskets. The thin ones are what I want. I used the full fill method as per the Isky cc kit. Put the piston at tdc, install the head and torque it with the gasket of choice and tip the block up so that the spark plug hole is straight up. Use the graduated cylinder and fill the chamber to the bottom of the plug threads. Then spin the crank till the piston is at bottom dead center. Fill the cylinder to the bottom of the plug hole threads keeping track of the fluid amount both times. Divide the full cylinder number by the combustion chamber number and you have your true compression ratio. The thicker perma-torque gasket produced a 9.22 comp. ratio and the thinner Mopar gasket had a 9.67 ratio. That's the one I'll use. I'm glad the machine shop shaved .030 off the heads! LOL I used ATF for fluid and light grease to seal the edge of the piston to the bore. I guess I was a bit disappointed the the ratio wasn't closer to 10.5:1 but grinding seats and the dish of the new valves and the thickness and cylinder diameter of the head gaskets all loose compression. Who knows what the factory 10.5 ratio really was. It will be pump gas friendly for sure. Mike