Charley -

I'll take those numbers any day! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

The Nippon-Reinz MLS head gaskets arrived from statracing and they're very nice:



My best efforts at measuring thickness indicate .050", so they should work fine and give me a piston clearance of .032"..... just about right - particularly since the engine has fairly short rods and won't turn over 6000 rpms. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> The slightly reduced deck clearance just might help make up for the the loss of quench pad area on the circular dished pistons.

It's interesting that they have MD199239 printed on the package, so I guess Nippon-Reinz was the OE manfacturer for Mitsubishi. It's also interesting that I find that same part number in CAPS for a '95 Diamante DOHC engine..... were there 12v DOHC Diamantes? IIRC, the 24v heads have a completely different oiling pattern and require a different gasket.

There is a bore limitation on these gaskets. I measure them at 3.610" or maybe a hair more, so I wouldn't want to tempt fate with more than a .020" overbore.... that'd be 3.607" and I would be afraid that anything more would have the gasket overhanging the bore.

Tomorrow, I'll install the heads and see what the cams look like.

Oh, I did find another difference between the Montero and Diamante SOHC blocks.... the machine screws that hold the oil pickup braces to the main bearing girdle are different between the 2 engines. The Diamante girdle threads are 7mmx1.00. I don't know what vehicle used those holes (Diamante SOHC did not), so I'll try to find some cap screws at Home Depot..... most anything the correct size with a split washer should work.... particularly if I use a little LocTite on them.

Frank