FHC
New member
Don't know if it is applicable to the 1700, but my manual for the Ford 1710 shows the head gaskets differ in thickness (which controls the compression ratio) and it which one to use is determined by the projection of the piston above the block at top dead center. If this is the case for your 1700 as well and you used the thicker gasket, it would result in a lower compression ratio and less power.
