commando1
Old Man with a Hat
I can't figure out if that was sincere or facetious...
Another Rebuild
- Thread starter Fratzog
- Start date
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
It is a line from a movie except for the porting part.
barnfind
Old Man with a Hat
Landyacht
Active Member
The comment I left was in response to all the aluminum head bashing that has been going on in this thread. The cost of porting a set of cast iron heads by a professional compared to just purchasing a set of aluminum heads is not going to be all that much different. I agree that just doing a basic reconditioning on a set of cast iron heads is going to be allot cheaper than buying aluminum heads, but don't expect any power gains. It depends on what the customer wants. If you're just building a cruiser and not looking for big hp gains then save your money and stick with the cast iron. If hp is what your looking for then save your money on all the porting work and just buy a set of brand new aluminum heads. Professional porting work is very time consuming and expensive and anyone that claims they can port your heads for real cheap is probably not the person you want to do the work for you. Most aftermarket aluminum heads come with larger 2.14 valves and the bowls have been redesigned to give more flow than a stock cast iron head. Companies like Edelbrock have not stayed in business all these years by selling their costumers useless gimmicks.
WorkerBee
Active Member
It wouldn't hurt to smooth the combustion chamber and the exhaust port of those iron heads before you rebuild them. It should help reduce the chance of carbon build up.
http://www.johnstuartpowerbrake.com/
This place does nice work if that water pump is original to the engine.
http://www.johnstuartpowerbrake.com/
This place does nice work if that water pump is original to the engine.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
My argument excludes the performance argument.
As far as performance, an iron head and an aluminum head, both prettied up to roughly the same specs, will provide the same amount of of performance after the total bill is tallied for each. A dollar here. A dollar there..
So for me, it comes down to the raw material.
I would have 100x more confidence with a "seasoned" factory iron head than with a fresh cast piece of Chinese aluminum.
I would guess that no Chinese company uses high grade pure raw aluminum straight from the processor. It's going to be recycled aluminum of unknown origin mixed with plenty of impurities.
And dont get me started about their QC/QA. In my opinion, it is as good as none.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Thanks for all your input guys. The target for the build is 375 - 400 hp with good low end grunt to get the behemoth up to speed in a hurry. No doubt I could get another 50 hp without too much $ but as stated previously the result would be marginal and not necessary. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the feedback but my only goal here is to get the results this time that should have happened 5 years ago. I will leave well enough alone and if successful I will be a happy camper.
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These are C-bodies, 98% of us are just cruisers...
Wollfen
Old Man with a Hat
Yeah aluminum heads are for performance guys, the rest of us are happy with the factory grunt with maybe a few tweaks.
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
Iron heads flow okay and respond better to a clean up than aluminum mostly because the aluminum heads are not as sloppy as a iron head that was one of 10,000 cast that quarter.
Landyacht
Active Member
The 452 heads are a late 70s smog head. I don't see 375 -400 hp with those heads. An earlier 915 or 906 casting will get you closer to your hp goal if you want to save some $$$ by not going aluminum.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
The only downside to the 452's, which I consider the best heads of any BB, is the C.R.
New pistons solve that real quick.
They flow the best of the stock iron heads and a CAD port and polish will get them right up there with Eddie E_heads
Landyacht
Active Member
WorkerBee
Active Member
Before this turns into a pissing match, we're talking about a 5% difference in flow @ .450" lift. :laughing7:
You may notice a difference on the dyno, but not on the street.
You may notice a difference on the dyno, but not on the street.
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
Look how much the flow increases with a non lipped stock valve (back cut) and a bowl cleanup at .150, .200, .250 lift
Modern one piece valves don't need back cut because they don't have this lip hence a increased flow for free. This is also a reason why alum heads flow better.
Modern one piece valves don't need back cut because they don't have this lip hence a increased flow for free. This is also a reason why alum heads flow better.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
My thinking as well. Thanks.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Dave can you advise on the cost of a "bowl cleanup"? How many hours labour?
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
I am kind of guessing but maybe 1 to 1 1/2 for both heads since they are disassembled for valve job/guides. Just take the sharp points out of the area above the seat (or below as your looking down into port from combustion chamber) you don't need to make it any bigger just smooth and blend sharp bumps from the 70 degree cut down in the bowl.
heyoldguy
Member
Valve job and bowl clean up with stock valves, $500 IF the seats aren't recessed in the heads. New hard seats in the heads are extra.
.100 lift...............80 cfm intake
.200..................164
.300..................210
.400..................236
.500..................259
New stainless 2.14/1.81 valves, .502 X 3/8 bronze guides, valve job, bowl port, $1,000
.100.................85 cfm
.200................168
.300................218
.400................249
.500................260
Little more port work, $1,450
.100................80 cfm
.200...............161
.300...............219
.400...............262
.500...............280
.100 lift...............80 cfm intake
.200..................164
.300..................210
.400..................236
.500..................259
New stainless 2.14/1.81 valves, .502 X 3/8 bronze guides, valve job, bowl port, $1,000
.100.................85 cfm
.200................168
.300................218
.400................249
.500................260
Little more port work, $1,450
.100................80 cfm
.200...............161
.300...............219
.400...............262
.500...............280
Landyacht
Active Member
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/cylinder-heads/chrysler/performer-rpm-bb.shtml
A new set of Edelbrock heads will cost you around $1600 bucks and Chinese made 440 Source Stealth heads will cost around $1000.
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