Edelbrock head alternatives?

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Well, as the thread starter requested, just a general listing of available heads would be good with cheapest to expensive as a guide. Or perhaps OITB performance with ported values next to it? IDK

For the small block engine, besides the Edelbrock head, which is a stock replacement style (meaning OE parts can bolt up and on and work properly.)
Iron would be the EQ/Ram heads
What else?
Aluminum would be the Pro Comp/Speed Master heads and what else?

Stepping up the program would be W2/5 heads or Edelbrock Victor except there not considered replacement heads.

The argument of weight and a few cfm aside and all the good points made, he never did say he was racing.

There is allways multiple ways to attack the problems and issues that crop up in drag or serious street strip cars.

There is always a way to split hairs in this. I think everyone needs this think more general rather than rip each other apart.
 
moper said:
Yeah- lots of bullshit in this thread...lol
I stand by what I said. $500 in terms of a $8000 engine is nothing for the weight loss. And replacement of what sort of RPMs with your product? I've had customers who gained a lot of power simply by fixing the crap *** work in their existing heads. You do good work, and in the right instance your RHSs work and are good value. Just not in most in my opinion. Which is mine like my extra weight...
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Yep. The eddie ultimately has more potential and is a better and lighter head. Cant believe this is even being debated. Guys are running 9's with them. Dont know of anybody doing so with those iron heads
There isnt an out of the box/ carton head produced that shouldnt be checked/ corrected before being run. None.
Way back when i actually stuck a set of eddies right out of the box on a 70 340. They picked up the car significantly. Would it have run better had the heads been blueprinted, i would bet yes.
Fortunately i sent them off to Hensley after that summer and had them worked, so i never had to find out if they would have continued to work properly untouched.
 
The better cylinder head guys are going to set you up with a better working head, whether it is factory iron, aftermarket iron or aluminum. The bolt on guys are going to be stuck with the crap that comes off the assembly line. I'm old enough to prefer slugging the aluminum heads around on the work bench. Though I'm not a real big fan, I'd rather be starting with the Edelbrocks right now.
 
Ask Hughes Engines..
"..Aluminum heads dissipate (get rid of) heat much faster than iron heads. The rapid heat loss from the combustion chamber results in reduced combustion chamber pressures (heat equals pressure); similar to the effect that lowering the compression ratio which lowers cylinder pressure. When switching to aluminum heads you MUST raise the compression ratio to prevent a power loss....Aluminum heads will not automatically create more power than iron heads unless they flow more air and are installed on a higher compression ratio engine. In cases where you have a decent port job on a set of iron heads it is possible to bolt on a set of out-of-the box aluminum heads and lose power. Aluminum is automatically lighter but not faster.."

#7---Choosing Heads: Aluminum vs. Iron (Which Ones Do You Need?)
 
pishta said:
Ask Hughes Engines..
"..Aluminum heads dissipate (get rid of) heat much faster than iron heads. The rapid heat loss from the combustion chamber results in reduced combustion chamber pressures (heat equals pressure); similar to the effect that lowering the compression ratio which lowers cylinder pressure. When switching to aluminum heads you MUST raise the compression ratio to prevent a power loss....Aluminum heads will not automatically create more power than iron heads unless they flow more air and are installed on a higher compression ratio engine. In cases where you have a decent port job on a set of iron heads it is possible to bolt on a set of out-of-the box aluminum heads and lose power. Aluminum is automatically lighter but not faster.."

#7---Choosing Heads: Aluminum vs. Iron (Which Ones Do You Need?)
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Hughes Engines is not my cylinder head god. Have they tested it, or are they repeating unsubstantiated old mechanics tales? Oh, and Hughes has never been wrong........or a purveyor of B.S............right?

Show me some tests other than these..........

Comparing Aluminum And Iron Cylinder Heads - Car Craft Magazine

Iron vs. Alloy Engine Heads - Tech Article - Chevy High Performance Magazine
 
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We received a set RHS heads from IMM, bolted them on no additional work needed, they are on a 408, pump gas motor that runs bottom 11s in a 68 dart, with 2.5 inch exhaust.

Alum is not always faster like pishta said
 
65Vsignet said:
We received a set RHS heads from IMM, bolted them on no additional work needed, they are on a 408, pump gas motor that runs bottom 11s in a 68 dart, with 2.5 inch exhaust.

Alum is not always faster like pishta said
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If you bought them from IMM of course they wouldn't need additional work, Brian has already prepped them
 
No matter what head material is, performance is found not in material but the eficiency of the parts used, combination of parts and their harmonious workings with each other.

Since aluminum disapates more heat and there is an need to raise the compression ratio 1 point to recoup the thermo efficiency to equal the iron head, then do so. It is normally done but the maker of the head already right?

On that note, didn't hot rod mag do a article on that very thing? Aluminum head vs. iron head shoot out.
Chamber sizes discussed?
 
rumblefish360 said:
No matter what head material is, performance is found not in material but the eficiency of the parts used, combination of parts and their harmonious workings with each other.

Since aluminum disapates more heat and there is an need to raise the compression ratio 1 point to recoup the thermo efficiency to equal the iron head, then do so. It is normally done but the maker of the head already right?

On that note, didn't hot rod mag do a article on that very thing? Aluminum head vs. iron head shoot out.
Chamber sizes discussed?
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See post #32
 
The energy the motor makes is in many forms. Heat is one that cannot be used unless its kept in the combustion chamber as pressure (or used to drive a turbo) Iron is superior to aluminum in this trait. If the mags chose to measure everything about the motor (ie. coolant temperature, radiator efficiency, temperature rise of the dyno cell), etc) they would see the sum of all energies produced. if a motor is giving off more heat from the same amount of fuel burned, it is using less to turn the crank. 1 gallon of gasoline is always going to produce 114,000 BTU's: Thats going to equal the sum of all mechanical energies plus all heat energies generated. This is based on the laws of physics. Go ahead and buy some bolt on AL cylinder heads if it makes you feel good. That's what this hobby is all about, right?
 
63savoy426 said:
I've used 6 sets of eddy rpm heads out of the box. Never HAD TO do anything to them. Bolt on and go. I did port some for a gasket match but thats optional. Just my 2 cents
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That's probably the case, but it doesn't mean they were correct...they are just good enough run for a while and if not seize a valve...maybe just leak oil out the guides till the valve job goes away.
 
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MD68 said:
What are some alternatives to the Edelbrock heads for my 340? Are there any in the same price range considering the whole 'bolt on out of the box theory' that I hear some many say isn't true?
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I'd first ask the OP what the objective is? And the use of the engine/car? The reason to ask is: Added HP with $500 worth of extra work/parts may, or may not, be beneficial to the OP. The resistance to detonation that AL heads offer in the OP's use may, or may not, be beneficial to the OP.

As for the OOTB thoughts, yes, issues have been found in Edlebrocks OOTB, but you can be sure that bad parts and work come though in ANY part or assembly. So to use that as an excuse to exclusively bash them is nonsense; it just says 'check whatever you have before slapping them on or you may (or may not) pay a price...'. FWIW, our one set of Edelbrock Performers had tiny burrs in 4 of 16 guides (we could feel a bit more drag when we pulled the springs and worked the valves by hand) and a few valves were a few thousandths off center. The local machinist put $100 of work in them and they were then all clean, centered, and ready to go. But the burrs would not have been any real issue anyway, and I suspect the valves were close enough to begin with. Again, FWIW....
 
After reading, it says "Oil through pushrods." Other than that, I have only read that memebers here have used them.
 
rumblefish360 said:
After reading, it says "Oil through pushrods." Other than that, I have only read that memebers here have used them.
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Yes, I saw that too. It was the price tag that made me interested. I have a set of iron heads that I spent like 50 hours on porting them (I'm a beginner). They need new guides and cutting the seats. I'm not sure if I should spend the money on them. I'm a bit scared I ruined them with my portjob haha.
 
Well, there is one way to find out!
Run them!
Or present them to a Pro porter. The iron head is capable of some good flow. It f you can get 260cfm (which shouldn't be a problem) then you have the ability to make some very good street power. It could make for a good bracket racer.
 
With 50 hours in them, they could be a total p.o.s............OR, they could be worth the investment needed to finish them. I would find out what you have before you move on........... find someone with a flow bench and ask them to flow a port for you.
My first set of heads i spent way to much time one and when i bolted them on....My car slowed down by a full sec. If i knew then, what i knew now, my 2800 stall would have been a 5000 stall, my 3.23 would have been 4.56...........and i just might have been proud of my work..........
 
Cudafever said:
With 50 hours in them, they could be a total p.o.s............OR, they could be worth the investment needed to finish them. I would find out what you have before you move on........... find someone with a flow bench and ask them to flow a port for you.
My first set of heads i spent way to much time one and when i bolted them on....My car slowed down by a full sec. If i knew then, what i knew now, my 2800 stall would have been a 5000 stall, my 3.23 would have been 4.56...........and i just might have been proud of my work..........
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Did they kill the low end?
 
They are still in the box....but they oil thru the head they are LA based heads.
 
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