Edelbrock head alternatives?

pishta said
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.

This leads to incorrect thinking. This type of incorrect argument could be used to 'prove' that the iron headed engine is shedding MORE heat and thus being less efficient. It would shed more heat direct to the air through the heads BECAUSE is it hotter, and thus is losing more heat to the surroundings. But of course, the reality is how much heat goes everywhere OR how much comes out of the crank. (Dyno output). It all comes out in dyno measurements, and all I have seen from actual testing is that there is no conclusive difference.

The iron heads are hotter simply because their thermal resistance is higher, which is inherent in the material. If the same heat flows out of the combusted mixture into the cylinder heads, then the iron heads will simply be hotter. There is no causation that has been proven between this and NET combustion pressures differences being higher. One false theory being purported is that, because the iron heads are hotter, they will absorb less heat from the combustion process, since the temp differential is lower. But that does not account for the greater heating of the mixture prior to combustion due the iron heads having a greater temp differential to the cooler intake charge. So if the end combustion temp is higher, then it can simply be caused by starting with more heat going into the mixture from the heads. So, there is no cause and effect proved by higher end combustion temps per se.

As for turbos, again, temp alone does not tell you how much is being put into a turbo; only temp differential (temp drop) is an indicator. So putting a higher temp exhaust into a turbo does not mean more turbo 'oomph'...

Yes, I would take the Hughes' blurb on this as a theory at best....