Using a soft piece of soder wire I checked the quench on my 350 w/vortec heads. It measured .060
The machine shop decked the block to .005 and I used a .039 gm gasket. Expecting a .044 quench Pistons are Probe flat-top w/4 valve relefs(.0025 skirt clearance)in bore. New Scat rods and crank. I called the shop and asked what happened. They told me that the piston will rock in the bore so not to worry, the quench should be correct and they did deck the block. Does this sound right???
Is it possable that the pistons will rock that much and give me a .060 quench when checked this way? The heads were also cut flat. I assymbled myself. I didn't think to use a bridge-gage to check. Anyone have this same experience? HELP!

I think that I'd not worry about it -- pistons will rock in the bore especially when you are smashing a piece of wire to check quench.

Not sure how much the piston would need to rock in order to make quench open up from .044 to .060" but you're only talking about a .016" diff . . .

That's a big difference-.044 -.060, I think the shop screwed up or the pistons are maybe .020 down in the hole

I had the heads off of my motor this week and had a bridge on it to check the height. Rocking the piston changed my reading by .018" (so I could get a reading +/- .009" either way from the right above the wrist pin). My motor has some miles on it and I have a 4.375" bore. Did you machinist check your deck height with your crank, rod and piston assembly or with his jig. There are tolerances in new cranks and your individual components, add that to your measurement method and piston rock and there is no way for you to get an accurate measurement with the heads on. I do give you credit for creativeness though. That is like a thick plastgauge method you used.

I did have the machine shop check all tolerances and balanced the assembly while work was being done. I don't want to take the head off if at all possable. It just made me worry expecting the soder piece to come out at .044 oh well! One of the heads will come off tomorrow. Thanks all.