edelbrock performance package

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notchbuilder

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I was wondering if anyone has tried one of the performance packages that Edelbrock offers on their website. it appears to be a pretty good deal on price to performance vs. getting the stock cast heads reworked. any information available will be appreciated.
 
The "Performer package" is best compared to a dead stock engine with a cam you'll never no that was there.
The "RPM Package" is nice with the only complaint of the cam being not what it could or should be. OOTB head quality can vary and is often subject to forum suggestions of "You better have them Checked out first."

The cam has a wide centerline and lazy-ish lobes that make for a softer idle than that muscle car sound most want. Lift is way shy of the heads high lift flow abilities. This all leaves a lot on the table. In general, it does perform, but a little thought on a different cam can yield great results over the Edelbrock cam.

Also, on the heads, it has always been a point of being a catch 22 with ported iron and the cost and extra cost of checking the head out in performance terms. The iron head will only flow so much ported. In a apple to Apple state of the heads, as cast, preped, ported, fully ported with bigger valves, the Edel. Head always has the performance edge, but not so much in price vs. the head you all ready have.

This is my opinion of what I felt like the change was going from 2.02 J heads to OOTB Edelbrock heads. They ran like a well preped bowl ported "J" head. It was a nice improvement.

When you use the iron head and invest money into it, it will out flow and should out perform the Edelhead at the stage behind it. An example would be a re worked bowl ported 2.02 iron head should out perform the Edel. Head as cast. A fully ported iron head should out perform a bowl ported Edel. head. But that's where it ends since the Edel. head can be ported out beyond an iron head.

Now is the time to decide if the iron head will meet flow/HP goals.
If it will, the. Save the purchase cost of the Edel. head (At what now? $1500+ Machinist check out) and roll that money into the iron heads.

A lot of people will wave the weight flag as a bonus and it is. But I want every reader to think first. Is the 50lbs. Weight difference really going to help you in the street? At the track? In which most races are won and lost at the line.
How many are racing for money in the street and need that 50lbs.?

Hey! It's your call, your money, have at it.
 
Buy the Edelbrocks have used them on 2 different motors will NEVER be going back to steel heads(except w-2's)..also just about any damage you do to aluninum heads can be repaired not so with steel heads:D:D
 
The camshaft is old &( 234\244 @ 050 wayyy slow ramps) Get the heads,& the air gap,have a REAL valve job done, buy a better action can.( whoever does the valve job,can help you) You pocket book ,your car , & reality will not miss the 80+ degree overlap/8-10 m.p.g. fiasco ,that old SLOW camshaft... You're Welcome,enjoy the reality...
 
As already stated, there are more modern lobe designs than the Edelbrock camshafts. Remember though that "slow" or "lazy" ramps may not always be a bad thing. Is this going to be an everyday street cruiser? If so, there is an advantage to those slow ramps.

Instead of slamming the valves shut and beating on the valve train, the older design cams tend to be much more easy on springs, guides, valves and seats. Camshaft technology has come light years "ahead" of where it once was, but sometimes depending on your intended use, you don't need to be that far "ahead".

The Edelbrock packages offer a solid, proven performance gain when all the components are used together in the correct way. It's not as easy as some people think to change parts out on an engine and come up with X amount of a power gain.

Edelbrock has done the work for you there and you will be right on top of or very close to what their advertised power gains show. 'Tit might be true that you can get somethin' with a little more rumpity idle using something different, but what's more important to you? How it sounds or how it runs?

That's a decision only you can make.

Can another more modern combination make "more" power? Sure. But then you are off in never never land making choices about this cam and that cam, this intake and that. If you can drop the coin all at one time, the Edelbrock package is really tough to beat, IMO.
 
I agree with Stroked340. Though I wonder what are the chances of damaging a head. While he is correct, IF you damage a head.....
I have 2 set of Edelbrock heads myself. I had the coin to drop.
The OE iron head can still do well. Again, your choice.
I would do another OE build if it called for it and would also go no further than a bowl porting myself. Unless there was a reason for it. And I can not see one right now.

Rusty also makes a very good point as well. One that the package is worked out. Though I myself would use a different cam. I like to take advantage of the parts fully when and where ever possible as to maximize the potential of the build. The Edelbrock cam will idle smoother than most others. If you copy Edelbrocks build for what they did to get the power they did, you will know exactly what you have.

There 340 RPM Package is nice. 417HP smoothly delivered.
(I wonder what that does in a 360 built otherwise the same?)

A lot of people fuss a lot over what part and others badger because you didn't use a certain part. Truth is, when your driving, the difference will never be known. Iron headed or not, Holley or Edelbrock carb, this piston or that piston, boxers or tighty-whitey... LOL!
 
The cam in that package sucks!

Better off putting in a voodoo 268. Less duration, same basic lift, better idle manners, more grunt.
 
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