361 heads
- Thread starter hacksaw
- Start date
-
More power in better flowing heads over compression, just saying, though the flow rates between heads I do not know.
Otherwise, the 400 is a really low compression engines & it could help.
Please, refresh the mind, the valves sizes between the engines are????
Otherwise, the 400 is a really low compression engines & it could help.
Please, refresh the mind, the valves sizes between the engines are????
I just refreshed a stock piston 400 with a pair of 516 heads. I haven't put it in anything yet but it sounds great on the start up stand. I used a small .440 lift cam as it's going in a truck. I have no knowledge of the older 4 bolt valve cover heads with the non integral rocker stands if that is what you have, but the 516 works great on daily driver type applications, and they came on everything from the 361 to the 440 in the mid sixties. I ran a pair for 5 years every day in my road runner on unleaded gas and when I took them apart the valve seats looked fine.
1.60 on the out bound side ... newer heads are 1.80 or 1.75 ... 2.08 on the intake same as the newer smog heads
OK, so both heads have a 1.60 exhaust and the 361 heads have a 2.08 intake.
I don't think it is a bad size valve considering the low performance aspect of the mill as made and to be honest, it IMO is t to bad for a mild performance engine. It is only 400 cubes. The small block guys are doing excellent with a 2.02 valve and well preped and/or ported heads on top of there stroker engines. Which would be 400+ cubes.
I don't think it is a bad size valve considering the low performance aspect of the mill as made and to be honest, it IMO is t to bad for a mild performance engine. It is only 400 cubes. The small block guys are doing excellent with a 2.02 valve and well preped and/or ported heads on top of there stroker engines. Which would be 400+ cubes.
If it's a mild to moderate 400, there's absolutely no reason in the world the 516? casting heads will not work.
But, as already mentioned, they will need hardened exhaust seats. But what else will they need? 361s have been gone a LONG time so the heads have to be pretty old and pretty used. If they need guide work too, that will be a pretty expensive set of cast iron heads.
The shop I use here would get around 400 for guides and hardened seats. That's a good deal compared to most. Add to that whatever valve job you want.....a good competition valve job is usually around 200, milling, cleaning and magnafluxing and you have a pretty big bill for some old used cast iron heads.
Put a little more with it and you can have some Stealth heads. Of course, keep in mind even those shouldn't be bolted on out of the box. So you will have some money in getting those checked out and ready to run.
But, as already mentioned, they will need hardened exhaust seats. But what else will they need? 361s have been gone a LONG time so the heads have to be pretty old and pretty used. If they need guide work too, that will be a pretty expensive set of cast iron heads.
The shop I use here would get around 400 for guides and hardened seats. That's a good deal compared to most. Add to that whatever valve job you want.....a good competition valve job is usually around 200, milling, cleaning and magnafluxing and you have a pretty big bill for some old used cast iron heads.
Put a little more with it and you can have some Stealth heads. Of course, keep in mind even those shouldn't be bolted on out of the box. So you will have some money in getting those checked out and ready to run.
True, though prices vary by region and shop, you could have a $1000 plus into those heads. A lot is what your willing to live with and that also includes the wallet size.
Stock cast iron heads aren't so bad. They can perform well. It's just the price of aluminum has come down and the head quality (flow rates as well) have gone up.
All depends on what YOU want.
Stock cast iron heads aren't so bad. They can perform well. It's just the price of aluminum has come down and the head quality (flow rates as well) have gone up.
All depends on what YOU want.
mguner
How many is too many?
I ran 516 heads on a 400 with great success. I did upgrade to the 1.74 exhaust and do some bowl blending.
Ooooo, I bet that was nice.
What cam/set up did you have in it?
What cam/set up did you have in it?
moper
Well-Known Member
I've made over 475hp on a pump gas 440 with a 230°@.050 hydraulic using ported "doorstop" 516s. They can be decent heads.
However - to the OP - there will be little to gain with going with a smaller chamber head on that 400. Spend the money on a decent cam, steel head gaskets(thin), headers, good exhaust, and/or ignition. It's much better spent.
However - to the OP - there will be little to gain with going with a smaller chamber head on that 400. Spend the money on a decent cam, steel head gaskets(thin), headers, good exhaust, and/or ignition. It's much better spent.
these do ..... thay are from a 64 300
Or you could angle mill your heads to get compression up(if you don't want to tear it down and deck the block) without settling for the small exhaust valve heads.
-
