Cylinder Head decision

krazykuda said

check your parts to see exactly what you have and where you are going...

Click to expand...

Anything that's not new can be non-stock, and there are several factors that can affect the ccs so yes- definitely. Assumption can hurt very, very badly. No matter what you should know what they are rather than what they're supposed to be. Milling can drop it way down and excessive port work can raise the chamber ccs.

I think $400 is too much to have in 302s- or a 302 headed motor. In any case having some heads done local should be cheaper. Cracking's a common problem with all hardened seat heads- open or closed chamber from every manufacturer- I've even heard of it with some propensity in certain pre-unleaded heads. I think the bottom line there's they'll all crack if they get too hot and though the smog motors do run hotter, normal operation doesn't usually cause it.

If you left the stock springs the cam's likely got too much lift for the springs if stock. As far as I know- they tended to pair the springs to the cams very tightly and the 318 cam's tiny.