W2 Head education
- Thread starter early A Bob
- Start date
-
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
If your on a budget you might want to pass on those. The price of the rockers, shafts and stands are gonna surprise you to say the least. Plus the intake and exhaust manifolds are different. Everything is unique on the W2 head setup. Those are the "race" heads. Don't get me wrong, they are great running heads and will flow up to 7000 rpm but not cheap.
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
You can use stock Mopar W-2 rockers And shafts you just need to buy the stands.
Used intakes are everywhere. You can buy any sbm headers and weld on w2 flanges.
I have these heads on my 388 dirt track engine. 575 hp with a cam you can run on the street.
No reason not to buy them... Don't be scared.
Used intakes are everywhere. You can buy any sbm headers and weld on w2 flanges.
I have these heads on my 388 dirt track engine. 575 hp with a cam you can run on the street.
No reason not to buy them... Don't be scared.
I'm a complete dummy when it comes to W2s but i thought that you had to us the w2 rocker arms.........at least the intake as it is off set.......right?
A stage 3 porting is a bit un clear, I agree. To many places have stages that aren’t defined. Did they have a stage 5? Ridiculous! A flow sheet spec sheet would be awesome. Something he probably doesn’t have.
While I’m awake only 15 minutes, later don’t see any porting marks.
And off the cuff, unless your looking to make a real street monster, I’d stay with the Iron Ram heads.
With the current crop of cylinder heads on the market today, the prices of the W-2/5 should fall further making them an actual potential choice for some. Do your price checking and check your ultimate goals. There not to bad these days.
Always afford the best head you can afford.
More flow the merry.
Heads do not have a RPM range. It is really the valve spring. And the cam profile. If you install a cam rated at 2k-6K or 4500 - 7500, what you need to start running the engine properly is the correct valve spring to handle the open and closing rates the cam needs. Controlling the valve is essential to RPM.
The heads ports are the next thing in line for rpm. If there to small, they’ll choke power on a big engine. But it will still turn 8k if the right spring is on top. This is not a problem with the W2.
What you are concerned about with the head is how much power can it make? This is the ability of the ports breathing. On a layman’s term, it is cfm X 2 = potential hp. This is very much a general term and under estimate math formula that excludes extreme hp racing combinations.
So what can a W2 flow?
Basic work (a loose term here) can provide 280-300 cfm. A professional that has skills and really intimate knowledge of the W-2 head can find around the area of 320+ cfm. So that potentially a small block with a terrific supporting cast like a great film can make 620 hp.
So what is the problem with a W2 head?
The problem is that most people will look at flow numbers alone and decide if the head is right for them and then finalize the deal when they penny pinch the associated costs to finish the job.
Flow wise, for a street head, the Iron Ram head is a great bang for the buck for the head alone in stock for and ported, it is really impressive that is goes up around and sometimes I have read to 300 cfm. It takes stock valve gear, no fancy extra parts like the shaft stands, off set rockers & can be purchased ready to run a bit cheaper than a W2.
If your doing a mello build, the Iron Ram’s are just fine. If your looking to make serious power, LOL, there actually still very good. If you go racing, you’ll want the edge. The IR’s now fall short and can not stand as tall as a W2.
The W2 has some really good things going for it though. Many people discount them and blow them off way to east.
An unrestricted port window.
The ability to to make a custom valve train set up that is really on target, not just OK or good. It’s a PIA to do, but it shows when your done.
People are still doing the older W2&5’s for a reason. The W heads are really good heads that require a little extra dollar to make a better head. You have to look at them as a puzzle that needs to be carved into what it can be.
Do comparative price shopping.
The W2 is not as expensive as it used to be. Remember they only come bare. So adding the valves is the extra cost. I discount the valve springs, retainers locks and valve seals because any serious or at least, a good build will require a change of valve springs. Retainers, locks and seals are pennies. Cheap chit. You’ll spend more on bubble gum.
I’m getting there with my W5’s.
(Ugh! Such a long and winding delayed road. Should have been done by now! That life I guess.)
It doesn’t have the Victor heads flow capacity but nor does it have the price tag that goes with the more expensive Victor head.
(And a big thanks to a few FABO member for the pictures below.)
Next up, my W2’s.
Last edited:
Harland Sharp still sells W2 economy & rocker stand W2/5 rockers in 1.5 & 1.6 as full set ups and individual rockers.
I would not modify stock shafts.
The one drawback of the W5 head is the possible crap casting. As seen below, this port gave up the ghost and used epoxy. Peak flow quit at 314 cfm.
These W series heads can have a large raised port window to support big engines & higher hp levels.
These W series heads can have a large raised port window to support big engines & higher hp levels.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Where is the rocker gear? You have to use W2-5 stuff. It's that simple. And the W2 intake. The intakes are fairly easy to find. The rocker gear not so much.
That casting is designed to use offset shafts and stands. That's what they need. If you use centered shafts and stands you'll have a bear of a time getting the geometry correct.
If you are building a stroker, I'd get them and have the valve job done correctly. Even on a stock stroke deal, that head is still the best cast iron head out there. Everything else is just a distant second.
That casting is designed to use offset shafts and stands. That's what they need. If you use centered shafts and stands you'll have a bear of a time getting the geometry correct.
If you are building a stroker, I'd get them and have the valve job done correctly. Even on a stock stroke deal, that head is still the best cast iron head out there. Everything else is just a distant second.
harland sharp rockers are 1187.00...that includes the shafts...
Crane used to make them but stopped...can sometimes find them on ebay....for about 650.00...without shafts which are another 150 each...
Intakes for sale on ebay...or here.....
headers and pushrods needed....too
Long valves are needed....
If you wanted to go fast it cost money......
Crane used to make them but stopped...can sometimes find them on ebay....for about 650.00...without shafts which are another 150 each...
Intakes for sale on ebay...or here.....
headers and pushrods needed....too
Long valves are needed....
If you wanted to go fast it cost money......
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
Right... and Mopar rockers are still around.
Everybody gets scared when you talk about offset rockers, headers, intakes. When is the last time a guy built a performance engine with all stock assembly line parts. NEVER!!!
Mopar made it simple... wish they still did.
early A Bob
Well-Known Member
So any W2 intake will work ?
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Yes.
FWIW, ALL exhaust rockers are the same, no matter what head you are using. The W2-5 heads use two different intake rockers. One is offset left and the other right.
As for buying pushrods and stuff I never count that. Who doesn't upgrade pushrod when doing an engine?
The Harlan Sharp rockers are the last rockers I'd use. I'm not a fan of them. Look around, you can find rockers.
Try calling Norris Cams. I think that's how you find them. They make a damn fine stainless steel bushed rocker when they make them.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Probably so. I've had my hands on them and they are dam nice pieces.
But what needs to be understood and evidently isn't, that TF will never ever make the power of a correctly prepped W2 head. Ever. Because 300 CFM isn't always 300 CFM. There is way more to it than bulk air flow.
It's been said my entire lifetime to not get caught up in flow numbers, but that's the first thing is see discussed. When I bought my flow bench I learned in two weeks that what most people thought was true about cylinder heads was all wrong.
Just like historians of today who do little research, but read other "historians" and call it research, cylinder heads are much the same. It's the same crap repeated over and over.
The TF head is probably the best available stock architecture head out there. But it will never be a W2. Even if you weld up the pushrod tunnel and use an offset rocker. At that point, you'd have a W2 head, or you can buy an Indy 360-1 head and be miles ahead.
kgip2k
Well-Known Member
Kind of like the old saying, you don't race a Dyno... Numbers are just numbers... Good for comparison, but all the differentials will show up on the car/engine/track
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
And those are long valve versions of the W-2... you can use a higher lift cam which requires a longer valve. You don't have to but you can.
I expect to see 650 HP on this 360 based 388 I have... maybe a bit more. Might be right at the limit for the block but I hope to show some Bowties the rear spoiler as often as I can.
Likely I'll run out of talent before I run out of horsepower.
I expect to see 650 HP on this 360 based 388 I have... maybe a bit more. Might be right at the limit for the block but I hope to show some Bowties the rear spoiler as often as I can.
Likely I'll run out of talent before I run out of horsepower.
“Bulk Airflow” Love it!
300 cfm through 2 ports but one has a larger window/area than the next with a more direct un obstructed path.
TD? Jesel have W2/5 rockers.
The offset in cost is worth the performance.
It’s a little expensive for the street but what a Street Hammer you will have!
If your just building a basic hot rod, you probably don’t need this stuff. You’ll still be able to build some power and have fun.
300 cfm through 2 ports but one has a larger window/area than the next with a more direct un obstructed path.
TD? Jesel have W2/5 rockers.
The offset in cost is worth the performance.
It’s a little expensive for the street but what a Street Hammer you will have!
If your just building a basic hot rod, you probably don’t need this stuff. You’ll still be able to build some power and have fun.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
BTW, hour W5 stuff is BEGGING for a 50 degree valve job. I used a 55 in mine and they just get better.
dodgedifferent2
Well-Known Member
Harland sharp rockers for stock heads are $737 at summit.
Harland sharp rockers for w2 are $1172
Iron rams. You will likely buy
pushrods
New rockers
Intake manifold
Headers
Camshaft.
W2s you will buy
New rockers
Intake manifold
Headers
Camshaft.
Harland sharp rockers for w2 are $1172
Iron rams. You will likely buy
pushrods
New rockers
Intake manifold
Headers
Camshaft.
W2s you will buy
New rockers
Intake manifold
Headers
Camshaft.
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
I wish they did. But with the W2 and W5 set up it was never simple.
If the TF heads flow as well as reported they will out HP a stock W2 which means you will have to pay for port work/Shipping to bring them on par.
So unless you are looking for max strip performance ....and at those kind of HP levels you have to start considering an R block etc...
So unless you are looking for max strip performance ....and at those kind of HP levels you have to start considering an R block etc...
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
No they won't. Not on a bet. Flow numbers are essentially useless. The TF is a great head for what it is, but it's not a W2. Not even close.
Krooser
Building Chinese Free Engines since 1959...
It IS simple...
-
