[quote=Hotrod Lincoln]"Zero deck" procedures are usually reserved for race engines. It's also necessary to have connecting rods exactly the same length, and pistons with matched compression heights if you're going to do the zero deck process. Then the combustion chambers need to be CC-matched for equal volumes. The whole idea is to have exactly the same compression pressure on all cylinders, and also getting the pistons and cylinder head surfaces close enough together to "quench" the flame out in that area as the piston reaches top dead center. This prevents "pre-ignition", where the flame in the combustion chamber lights off in two different directions, and "detonation" which is the noise created as the pressure waves from both flame fronts meet in the middle. That rattle you hear as you lug down on a hill is detonation, and it's incredibly destructive. I've burned holes in 440 Mopar race pistons the size of a golf ball in a matter of seconds when the detonation happens at full throttle and max load. Of course, the engine was turning 6500 RPM, and putting out 715 HP at the time, on the dyno.
I'd suggest leaving at least .025" of deck clearance on a street engine. There's no need to do a zero-deck procedure unless you're planning to wring the last ounce of torque out of it, and that's not likely to happen on the average street buildup.
Jerry
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Thanks for explaining that Jerry.
