GlennB4u
Well-Known Member
Along these lines, what are the best factory heads for a small block? What year/engine?
What is the best head for a small block.
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yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
The best castings to start with are the pre smog or what I call the tear drop non smog heads. They have the pad underneath the exhaust port but aren't drilled with the EGR holes.
For the most part, all the castings can end up at the same place. There is no head that's way better than any other head. With simple porting you can make them all the same.
My current engine has 2 different castings. They flow the same, have the same port volumes and the only ones who know it is now me, you, everyone who reads this and the heads because I told them they weren't the same.
dodgedifferent2
Well-Known Member
Best?
That's a trick question.
I would love some w9s to get jiggy with.
Played with w2s and w5s. Never played with stock replacement aluminum heads.
Trick flow. Do they actually exist or still planning?
I agree if someone would redo the w5s they would make a ton for the LA crowd.
But as RAMM said the g3 hemi has come in. I would switch to that route if I didnt want the old school look.
That's a trick question.
I would love some w9s to get jiggy with.
Played with w2s and w5s. Never played with stock replacement aluminum heads.
Trick flow. Do they actually exist or still planning?
I agree if someone would redo the w5s they would make a ton for the LA crowd.
But as RAMM said the g3 hemi has come in. I would switch to that route if I didnt want the old school look.
B3422w5
Well-Known Member
Regards redo of the W5 head, somebody already does make a comparable aluminum head, the Indy 360-1 head, or for that matter the 360-2 head. The -1 actually has more potential than the W5 and takes a bigger valve, and the intake for it is probably the best 59 degree intake out there.
That all said, i am not an Indy fan
dodgedifferent2
Well-Known Member
Exactly my point. Nobody wants to deal with Indy.
My w5s can embarrass the indy 360-1 so not worried
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
The best head for a small block would be the one that best suits that small blocks purpose.
W2 are great, but only in the hands of someone who knows how to work them.
I've seen plenty wreck the low and mid lift flow to gain peak and it works like a turd on the street.
W2 are great, but only in the hands of someone who knows how to work them.
I've seen plenty wreck the low and mid lift flow to gain peak and it works like a turd on the street.
B3422w5
Well-Known Member
I had a stout 422 W5 motor. The new owner of that car has been low 9.60’s at 140 with it on S/S springs at 3220. I ran 9.80’s with it, he made a couple of upgrades( squeeze and camshaft) little less weight
Still think that 245cc raised port head has more potential. I know a guy on Moparts, David Dean has been 120 in the 1/8 with them
GlennB4u
Well-Known Member
Correct.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Well then I should document my next W-2 build as I don't give a **** about low lift flow numbers and I suspect it won't be a turd on the street.
dodgedifferent2
Well-Known Member
It's funny how everyone worries about the low lift numbers but brag about horsepower and then slap a single plane intake on the stock engine. Low end is gone but the high end hp at 7 grand is there
With my w2 build I hogged out the heads and slapped a w2 dual plane on the engine and man was there MASSIVE amounts of torque on the low end.
With my w2 build I hogged out the heads and slapped a w2 dual plane on the engine and man was there MASSIVE amounts of torque on the low end.
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
Yeah,put more gear to it , keep the rpms high and never miss a shift. Great street car.
Dont leave out mid lift, i included that to get the equation of "turd on the street ".
If the low lift is less than desirable... cam advance can cure a bit of that
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Only if I used 1975 valve jobs, porting technique and thinking would that be true. Some guys NEVER learn. Low lift is a PISS POOR way to look at a port. Horrible. And I can PROVE this.
There are many guys now doing 50* seats on engines that are tow vehicles, have an RPM range of idle to about 4500ish and Max lift of .485.
Yep, low lift is what you want. If that's what you want, you want a 30* seat. The only guy pushing that in the last 35 years is David Vizard and I don't know that he does it any longer.
30 degree seats are low lift flow winners and I don't see anyone clamoring for that.
Wyrmrider
Well-Known Member
if we are talking iron heads either the 308 or EQ YR must have a lot of time in his 360 heads
If I'm going to spend that much time I'm going to start with better heads
I use 30 degree intake seats under half inch lift but as YR says ports are different as is the rpm range mostly small block motorhomes but also works in marine
I'm going to have to check out 50 degree seats with a short cam for the rpm range needed
If I'm going to spend that much time I'm going to start with better heads
I use 30 degree intake seats under half inch lift but as YR says ports are different as is the rpm range mostly small block motorhomes but also works in marine
I'm going to have to check out 50 degree seats with a short cam for the rpm range needed
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
If you say so.
I'm arguing that poor low/mid lift flow in a street motor hurts performance.
I dont really care about 30 degree Pontiac jiggery from the 60's, that is a 'give and take' in the overall flow range.Talk about never learn.
Wyrmrider
Well-Known Member
It starts with port flow demand
you have overlap flow from exhaust pull as the first consideration as piston is not moving much
then you have piston motion demand
where the rod ratio does make a big difference
you want the flow to be adequate
too much flow without demand stalls
so you need a valve action that can keep up with demand
problem is some cams (cough short rod chevies) have to start opening the valve early in order to have it open enough when the flow requires it
so to minimize reversion all kinds of tricks are used to kill the low lift flow (sunken valves, steep seats etc)
now YR has spent a lot of time on his combination and it most likely works really well
and he would get more upper rpm hp than I do
but I might get more torque between 2000-3000 maybe even 4000
will take another look at it- but my free flow bench and dyno are now over an hour away...
you have overlap flow from exhaust pull as the first consideration as piston is not moving much
then you have piston motion demand
where the rod ratio does make a big difference
you want the flow to be adequate
too much flow without demand stalls
so you need a valve action that can keep up with demand
problem is some cams (cough short rod chevies) have to start opening the valve early in order to have it open enough when the flow requires it
so to minimize reversion all kinds of tricks are used to kill the low lift flow (sunken valves, steep seats etc)
now YR has spent a lot of time on his combination and it most likely works really well
and he would get more upper rpm hp than I do
but I might get more torque between 2000-3000 maybe even 4000
will take another look at it- but my free flow bench and dyno are now over an hour away...
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
Generalizing always gets people's knickers in a knot... but keep it in the spectrum..
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Did you miss the part where I said low lift, low RPM tow rig? The thread is on speed talk. It might be 8-10 pages back but it's there.
I learn. All the time. And I learned I don't love flow numbers and I don't fall in love with low lift numbers.
I will say this. Junk heads make junk power. Usually flow has little to do with it. You can have 300 CFM and have a dong beater, and you can have 330 CFM out of the same casting and it's a pig. And, let's say the 330 CFM has a smaller cross section.
Horsepower is horsepower. Flow is flow. The two aren't in each other's hip pockets. More than once I've lost flow across the board and made more power. That's because flowing a head is an I exact science.
I'm going to start charging for this info.
j par
Well-hung Member
What spaceship do you pull this information off of?
Bighead440
Well-Known Member
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
I don't get my knowledge from a space ship. Hippie lettuce is working its majik on you again. Obviously, if you knew your butt from a hole in the ground you'd know I get my knowledge from the Good Ship Lollie Pop like all the other experts.
You need to get on the upside of the learning curve.
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j par
Well-hung Member
So everyone who doesn't agree with you smokes dope?
famous bob
mopar misfit
IQ above a toaster , that a goodun !
this is good.
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