Engine Mechanical Topics Discussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.

Compression ratio

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 7, 2017 | 02:30 PM
  #1  
Tholliday's Avatar
Tholliday
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: KC
Default Compression ratio

I am currently in the process of putting in a 95" big bore kit. I am using the SE 95" cast piston at 9.4-1. I am porting the heads he is decking the heads 10 thousands to return to stock chamber size as he says porting the heads will make the chamber a little bigger. If I use a .030 head gasket what will that make my compression be?
 
Reply
Old Jul 7, 2017 | 06:26 PM
  #2  
prodrag1320's Avatar
prodrag1320
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,569
Likes: 624
From: deland,florida
Default

Heads should be cc'd and not guessed at,only real way to set compression
 
Reply
Old Jul 7, 2017 | 06:52 PM
  #3  
Tholliday's Avatar
Tholliday
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: KC
Default

Originally Posted by prodrag1320
Heads should be cc'd and not guessed at,only real way to set compression
I was just trying to get a ballpark ratio. The machinist thought around 9.5-1 with the .030 head gasket. The cams S&S 510s work best 9.7-1 or less just wanting to make sure I'm around there. Thanks
 
Reply
Old Jul 7, 2017 | 08:56 PM
  #4  
brad75raiders's Avatar
brad75raiders
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,565
Likes: 71
From: Oakdale Ca.
Default

Get a syring 50 or 60 cc . Fill up the chamber level. ( Not easy) then pull out the fluid . Should be between 83cc and 90 cc then plug all your numbers into big boys calculator that will give you ballpark.
 
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2017 | 04:28 AM
  #5  
Hillsidecycle.com's Avatar
Hillsidecycle.com
Sponsor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,084
Likes: 829
Default

100 ml graduated burrette, filled with dyed alcohol is HOW to measure the cc's of a combustion chamber, along with other dedicated fixturing.
Just arbitrarily removing material, does not insure equal volume front to rear, nor does it allow anyone to actually know the actual compression ratio.
Scott
 
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2017 | 06:06 AM
  #6  
prodrag1320's Avatar
prodrag1320
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,569
Likes: 624
From: deland,florida
Default

Originally Posted by Tholliday
I was just trying to get a ballpark ratio. The machinist thought around 9.5-1 with the .030 head gasket. The cams S&S 510s work best 9.7-1 or less just wanting to make sure I'm around there. Thanks

if whoever is doing your heads cant cc the chambers to determine a accurate compression ratio its time to see this as a major red flag.we get calls to "fix" heads done by shops who shouldn't be doing headwork all the time
 
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2017 | 08:18 AM
  #7  
Tholliday's Avatar
Tholliday
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: KC
Default

He can cc heads. He is a very reputable machinist and mechanic in the KC area. I was wanting to order all my gaskets and I wanted to make sure I wasn't going over compression for the cams. He put it in the 9.5-1 just getting others opinions.
 
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2017 | 10:49 AM
  #8  
ntraindavefl's Avatar
ntraindavefl
Road Warrior
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 439
From: florida
Default

If you're guy cannot give you an exact number of what the chamber volume is then you're just guessing. You also need to know deck height, piston volume and which gasket you're going to use to find compression.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-8

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jul 12, 2017 | 06:25 PM
  #9  
k-weaver's Avatar
k-weaver
Cruiser
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 227
Likes: 45
From: Santa Maria
Default

Originally Posted by Tholliday
He can cc heads. He is a very reputable machinist and mechanic in the KC area. I was wanting to order all my gaskets and I wanted to make sure I wasn't going over compression for the cams. He put it in the 9.5-1 just getting others opinions.
You should wait to get your heads CC'd before you start ordering parts. Or figure out what CC they need to be at to reach your desired compression ratio and tell your head porter to make it so.

This is a key part of the build. Ball park figures wont work here. If your trying to decide between a .040 and .030 head gasket wait for the CC numbers. The difference between 85cc and 86cc could be 9.6:1 and 9.5:1 which you can fix with the proper gasket.

I.E. heads CC @ 85cc and you got the .030 gasket which gives 9.6:1. If you had went with .040 gasket you would have been right at your 9.5:1 ratio. (100% made up numbers, just proving a point)
 
Reply
Old Jul 13, 2017 | 03:28 PM
  #10  
djl's Avatar
djl
HDF Community Team
Veteran: Army
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,785
Likes: 2,613
From: san antonio
Community Team
Default

If the OP is hand porting the heads, it is not likely that the chamber volumes will be equal. JMHO but seems to me the OP sends his ported heads to the machinist and the machinist will have to equalize the chamber volume, and deck heads as required to produce the target CR with a .030" head gasket. I don't know what the OPs head porting bona fides are, no disrespect intended, but he might be better off just sending his heads to a competent porter with instructions.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:27 PM.

story-0
10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

Slideshow: Not every motorcycle can be a design icon, and these machines prove that bold styling doesn't always age gracefully.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-12 11:58:41


VIEW MORE
story-1
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-10 17:18:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 18:28:05


VIEW MORE
story-3
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-4
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-5
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-9
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE