Large Port Commando on a 340

[JedIEG]

Is anyone running large port commando (P5153850) or w2/w5 head on a 340 on the street? I am interested in hearing how they perform with a smaller engine and how drivability is (any loss of torque from port air speed at lower rpm?).
LP Comandos are available for about the same price as RPMs and considering them if they don't detract from street manners. (I know of good priced set of w2 rockers so that cost would be a wash between the two)

 

[rumblefish360]

Go for it.

 

[70aarcuda]

Where are the LP Commando heads for sale....everywhere I google...did not show them available....and the rocker gear shows NA also....

I would go a different route......unless i had a good price on the parts above...I would go with the Trick Flow heads......new modern ports....but its not my money.....

 

[PRH]

I would go a different route

Wise words.

 

[B3422w5]

Wise words.

yep. Kinda an underachieving head. I would go Indy before using a set of these

 

[PRH]

I actually had to look it up.
Not the head I thought it was.

This is basically the Indy Ede T/A head.
I don’t know if they actually have any or not, but Mancini has them at sort of a blow out price.
I might try them on a stroker, but on a std stroke 340 they wouldn’t be on my preferred list.

Who am I kidding....... if I were building a SB stroker...... it would get TF heads.

 

[rumblefish360]

I think this maybe the head below?
At the bottom of the page it says;
“Cross Reference Part: Mopar P5153850” which would be the W5. The LP Commando head replaces the ill fated W5.

The LP Commando is like a moved pushrod Edelbrock head as mentioned above like what Indy Cylinder head offers. Under the picture on Mancini’s web site it says this;
“EDE2490-CL”, hummm “EDE for Edelbrock? Hummmm

With that said, the ports are the same as the standard Edelbrock head and therefore why I said to for it. Even if wider than a standard port head, the engine will respond a bit better without issue. Hughes has the offset rocker required. (IIRC)
Click here -> MRE W Series A Engine Cylinder Head

 

[JedIEG]

Those are exactly the ones I am looking at from Mancini. Basically the same price as RPMs and have bigger valves and the pushrod out of the way.
I have a lead on a set of ductile iron w2 rockers for not much more than a set of new stamped steel or rockers so that's why I'm considering these heads.

 

[PRH]

To me it’s as simple as....... I’d rather pay the extra $500-600 for the fully cnc ported head that can be had ootb with 2” installed height springs(TF), instead of the unported head that requires the use of oddball rockers.

 

[rumblefish360]

Those are exactly the ones I am looking at from Mancini. Basically the same price as RPMs and have bigger valves and the pushrod out of the way.
I have a lead on a set of ductile iron w2 rockers for not much more than a set of new stamped steel or rockers so that's why I'm considering these heads.

Better double check those rockers you mentioned for there off set amount!

Also, what PRH said above! I went that route.

View attachment 1715603218 View attachment 1715603219

 

[Nat]

I think this maybe the head below?
At the bottom of the page it says;
“Cross Reference Part: Mopar P5153850” which would be the W5. The LP Commando head replaces the ill fated W5.

The LP Commando is like a moved pushrod Edelbrock head as mentioned above like what Indy Cylinder head offers. Under the picture on Mancini’s web site it says this;
“EDE2490-CL”, hummm “EDE for Edelbrock? Hummmm

With that said, the ports are the same as the standard Edelbrock head and therefore why I said to for it. Even if wider than a standard port head, the engine will respond a bit better without issue. Hughes has the offset rocker required. (IIRC)
Click here -> MRE W Series A Engine Cylinder Head
View attachment 1715603193

that sounds like the hughes bigmouth heads with the offset pushrods they need the .350 offset rockers setup that is cheap 781 foir those heads Hughes Engines

 

[PRH]

The main difference is that an actual Hughes “Big mouth” head is fully cnc ported, and the MP head isn’t ported at all.

I wonder what the 5/16” stem 2.08” intake valves do for the flow in the unported MP head.

 

[Wyrmrider]

What prh, nat rumble sorta said
first I do not remember those heads having the same offset as W2 or TA
you might be able to run ta pushrods (if they do have more offset by opening up the pushrod holes
they will need porting to match the TF if not already done
the valve length is a key for me
are the shafts in the correct location or will you need B# kit?
you may be ok without B3 with TF heads (depending on valve length and rockers)
at least over 10 year old designs maybe 20- still edelbrock ports
prh-- nothing except lighter valve (that's IMHO till I looked at them- just a strawman position)

 

[Nat]

The main difference is that an actual Hughes “Big mouth” head is fully cnc ported, and the MP head isn’t ported at all.

I wonder what the 5/16” stem 2.08” intake valves do for the flow in the unported MP head.

so they are just ede heads with new pushrod holes filled and redrilled for offset , why if the heads are not ported ? just don't get that

 

[rumblefish360]

so they are just ede heads with new pushrod holes filled and redrilled for offset ,

Yes

why if the heads are not ported ? just don't get that

Because of potential for the end user. By moving the pushrod over for you in the OOTB state, it takes a bit of work out of the picture on future (if so planned) modifications. I do not know for sure but I don’t think the port is any wider at the pushrod pinch. If it isn’t, the end user can have it ported. (Themselves or professionally done.)

While this head and the real MP Commando head have very similar attributes, there not the same head and there no W5. But they will do very well! Just not a full tilt W5 level.

How far can you go with it? Ask @pittsburghracer

If you could get a good set of W5 heads to go the full 9 yards in porting... Whoooo-Weee it’ll move some air.
Pictured below are my W5’s which gave up early on porting but still managed to out flow the Hughes Big Mouths Edelbrock head. Comparative pictures below showing the raised ports and heads beefyness. There is just no way it (Edelbrock head) can compete with the W5, if it is a good set of casting to port. You would need a Victor head, which will mop up the floor on the W5.

 

[B3422w5]

I know a guy who ran those heads on a full boogie bracket car.
Stroker, 13+ compression, big roller, 904, yada, yada. 3000-3100 pound car with driver. Good suspension, well sorted car.
Ryan back in the day ported them( spent a ton of effort on them)
That car managed to barely break 10 flat once or twice, typically low 10 teens, best mph 131 ish. Flyfish is running that same MPH with eddies at more weight.
To me, not that impressive compared to a W2/W5/ Indy comparable build.
Not something i would want to chase ET with, compared to what else is out there.

 

[yellow rose]

I know a guy who ran those heads on a full boogie bracket car.
Stroker, 13+ compression, big roller, 904, yada, yada. 3000-3100 pound car with driver. Good suspension, well sorted car.
Ryan back in the day ported them( spent a ton of effort on them)
That car managed to barely break 10 flat once or twice, typically low 10 teens, best mph 131 ish. Flyfish is running that same MPH with eddies at more weight.
To me, not that impressive compared to a W2/W5/ Indy comparable build.
Not something i would want to chase ET with, compared to what else is out there.

Yep, you already have to buy offset rockers, so why not just dig up some W2 stuff or just go to Indy.

 

[PRH]

so they are just ede heads with new pushrod holes filled and redrilled for offset

Not exactly.
The pushrod holes aren’t “filled”, they’re just drilled offset from the start.
The heads also come with 5/16” stem 1.60/2.08 valves.

I’m pretty sure Johnny Mac(?) is running them on his motor.
I seem to recall he had a thread on them a couple years ago.

Brett Miller has a new cnc program for the Ede SB head that flows in the 300 range...... and since these are really just Ede SB heads....... I’m sure that program would work on these heads as well.

 

[rumblefish360]

@PRH CORRECT SIR!!!!

super commando LP Rockers?

 

[JedIEG]

Thank for all the feedback guys.
I get that these heads are not going to match a w5 without the revised ports, but they keep the build cost from snowballing and have potential to be ported in the future. I have about 2k budgeted for heads and valve train and this seemed like a good option over rpms, my biggest worry being a lazy port on a 340 or valve shrouding on a 4.070 bore with the 2.08 valve. TFs, umported are already over budget at over 1k a head with no rockers and w2/w5s are even more if you can find them. I would really like the weight savings from aluminum heads which leaves these, rpms, and speedmasters...
Unless someone wants to unload a full W5 top end for $2k???

 

[70aarcuda]

The Trick Flow are fully ported...CNC.....

 

[B3422w5]

Thank for all the feedback guys.
I get that these heads are not going to match a w5 without the revised ports, but they keep the build cost from snowballing and have potential to be ported in the future. I have about 2k budgeted for heads and valve train and this seemed like a good option over rpms, my biggest worry being a lazy port on a 340 or valve shrouding on a 4.070 bore with the 2.08 valve. TFs, umported are already over budget at over 1k a head with no rockers and w2/w5s are even more if you can find them. I would really like the weight savings from aluminum heads which leaves these, rpms, and speedmasters...
Unless someone wants to unload a full W5 top end for $2k???

probably would go any other way than what you seem to want to do. I would likely go( with your budget in mind)
1. Trickflows with the Mancini rockers
2. The CNC chinese eddie knockoffs

 

[yellow rose]

Thank for all the feedback guys.
I get that these heads are not going to match a w5 without the revised ports, but they keep the build cost from snowballing and have potential to be ported in the future. I have about 2k budgeted for heads and valve train and this seemed like a good option over rpms, my biggest worry being a lazy port on a 340 or valve shrouding on a 4.070 bore with the 2.08 valve. TFs, umported are already over budget at over 1k a head with no rockers and w2/w5s are even more if you can find them. I would really like the weight savings from aluminum heads which leaves these, rpms, and speedmasters...
Unless someone wants to unload a full W5 top end for $2k???

Don’t waste your time and money. Get the TF heads and don’t look back.

Unless you want to find some W2’s that’s the best alternative.

 

[70aarcuda]

Going to throw this out there.....Speedmaster usually has a Black Friday sale where as the everything is somewhere 30-40 per cent off....can save a good deal of cash if you wait two months..

 

[Rocket]

These heads are the Mopar Performance Large Port Commando heads. They come with milled pedestals for W2 rocker gear. Accepts a standard LA intake manifold and can accept standard or larger W2 headers. The heads above in the initial post may be the Super Commando heads. Note exhaust port difference. Another oddball Mopar head that is no longer produced.

Posting just for comparison of the head designs. Not recommending to use this head.

Carry on