Ok, I talked to a local head guy about porting, polish, gasket matching, milling/CC to 10.5:1 CR, taking intake & exhaust valves sizes up to 2.00" on the intake and can't remember exhaust size, with Manley valves, Ti retainers, race valve job(wahtever that means prob 5 angle), sonic tested, doublesprings,and whatever else for complete heads. Price was around $1200 out the door. Have a couple questions...

1) has anyone ran a similar setup, and what gains did you get from it?

2) is this a competative price?

I know this shop is good, they build hot rod & racing engines all day, just not sure how these heads will perform with this amount of work done.

 

a cam will make more power for cheaper

 

I'll be installing a TR220-112 w/ 3200 stall at the same time

 

Might want to check out Patriot and some others, ideally find flow numbers from the same flow bench comparing different heads, I know the info is out there if you do a google However, flow is not the final word on how they will perform.

 

Typically heads only swaps will yeild anwhere from minus 20hp to plus 20hp on a 5.3l engine. Heads and cam swaps can make as much a 105rwhp more in combination. Your cam with a properly prepared set of heads will see from 50-75rwhp. You'd do well to add long tubes to tune in more torque across the rev range.

Good luck with your upgrades.

Richard

 

I wouldn't do it thats too much for those heads I would think you can affords some AFR's for that price... I bought some 243's for 500 and the guy who did my motor had them cleaned up manley valves paorted and a 5 angle valve job for 300 so they ended up being 800...

 

AFRs are 2400 bucks last i checked. 1200 isnt a bad price. you consider 350-400 for a good set of springs, milling is roughly 100 bucks, valves are probably 150 bucks. valve job roughly 100 bucks, port work 6hrs at 50 bucks roughly 300.....

400+100+150+100+300= so 1050...not to bad when he said 1200

 

i would rather get a set of stock 243's and just have them milled to bump your CR back up, people have seen nice gains doing this on their cammed 5.3's... sorry no numbers to prove but the SOTP test is definately their...

 

Thanks Richard, I was hoping for your input on this. Unfortunately I'm stuck with the shorty's unless I want to swap exhaust every time I smog.

 

AFR's are what I was looking at, but 2400 bucks is way steep.
243's don't seem ideal, because they were meant for a larger bore( 4.00" I think) so, that's a potential flow restriction, even if you mill them down to a higher CR.