deck height:

[art leong]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

My impression is that if the specs call for a negative deck, then the piston had better be below the deck of the block. At this point the gasket is not part of the equation.
The opposite is true if the specs call for a positive deck; the piston had better be above the deck of the block.
How much above or below the deck is not the issue as long as the blueprinted engine meets or exceeds the specs; more clearance is allowed, not less clearance.
Since your spec is .002" (below deck) then you'll have to machine the big end of the rods to pull the piston down to where it needs to be.

Note: this is the same issue as the rocker ratio rule. The end result is not the answer, getting there using the specs provided by NHRA is the requirement.

Jeff they used to go by that rule but have since changed it.
What would you say to someone that had a zero deck?
Some of the new rods (cracked caps) cannot be resized.
I got tossed once because I had a minus .020 deck and the specs called for a plus .004.
After that they changed the rule.

[Jeff Lee]

Then I would definitely get confirmation on it.

The "old way" meant if the specs were zero deck then it was zero deck. But as you say, that may not matter. But make sure you have the right rocker ratio when obtaining the spec'ed cam lift measured at the valve!

[art leong]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

Then I would definitely get confirmation on it.

The "old way" meant if the specs were zero deck then it was zero deck. But as you say, that may not matter. But make sure you have the right rocker ratio when obtaining the spec'ed cam lift measured at the valve!

When I had a problem and asked why having to little deck height (the piston further down the hole) was a problem. They came up with the cockamamy excuse that "it would allow me to run more camshaft (without having piston to valve problems) I quickly replied how about a thicker head gasket? Wouldn't that achieve the same thing? They were dumfounded. And tossed me anyway.
But the rule got changed a couple of months later.

[X-TECH MAN]

Like Art said the rule was changed shortly after Art was tossed for this very same reason. For many years it was as Jeff said. If it was negative deck spec. then it had to be in the hole no matter how thick the head gasket was. One of many changes over the years.