Cylinder Heads

Bazowak · Post by **Bazowak** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:03 am

Any thing you can do to help out your current combo will help. Gasket matching is free HP. It takes some time and effort on your part but is worth it. It makes the airflow transition from intake to heads smoother and does not create an eddy effect on the incoming air charge. I've heard that it can be worth up to 12 to 15 FREE HP. Just remember, it takes a steady hand and some time to do. Make sure to NOT rush on this because you can always take more away but you can't put it back. I would suggest getting a junk head to practice. Years back I had a very nice set of BBC rectangle port heads that started out as a simple gasket match that turned 5284 times FUBAR/SNAFU because I thought I was a master with the grinder and started in on exhaust ports and got into a water jacket deep into the short turn side. Long story short....ruined head=wasted money=wasted time=lesson learned.....the hard way!

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:03 am

I agree as well. Gasket matching is well worth the effort. The only thing better is a full porting job which includes grinding away at not only the port itself, but the bowl (area under the valve).

Although I think 300hp is a bit optimistic with your heads. Even with a set of E7TE Mustang heads, a ROLLER cam, decent intake, and headers, I think 300hp is a bit on the high side to expect but it can be done with the right person building the combination. If your heads are the typical E6 truck heads (a non-performance oriented head), I wouldn't plan on anything above 250hp even with port matching and even 250 is probably optimistic. Those heads just don't have the valve and flow characteristics for efficient high RPM performance. If I remember right, they are the heads that have the heart-shaped combustion chambers that are designed mainly for creating high amounts of swirl. Swirl is what you want at low RPMs to help evaporate the gas into the and air. This helps with torque production as well as emissions. The problem is that chamber shape is a hindrance at higher flow conditions because it focuses too much on swirl, and not enough on flow. I can't remember the valve size, but it seems the E6 heads have smaller valves than the E7 (1.78"intake/1.46"exhaust)...not 100% on that one though.

Again, to give some perspective, 300hp is what I'm targeting for a future 331 stroker motor where I'll be reusing my GT40p heads, a cam VERY similar to that Crane 2020 cam, the stock Explorer intake (which is a derivative of the 5.0L Cobra intakes), stock 65mm TB, Explorer headers, aftermarket 73mm MAF, MSD ignition box, 24lb (Cobra) injectors, and dual exhaust. Granted, a 331 should be able to do a lot more than 300hp, but since this is my daily driver and I'm far more interested in torque production from idle-5000RPMs than I am at screaming out 6000+RPMs, this will be a milder build than most 331s. I also need it to pass Ga emissions. So as 331s go, this will be a fairly small build, BUT off-idle torque production should be amazing. Point is 300hp is what I expect from that. Who knows, I might squeeze out 320hp if I do a good job at the port-matching.

Since you at one point were considering a head swap, there's a head article in an old MM&FF magazine posted to the AFR website. It's an excellent read:
MM&FF Ultimate Guide to 5.0L heads
Scroll to the bottom of that page. The Group 1 and Group 2 articles are the most relevant to you. Point is, their baseline motor was equipped with E7TE heads and the best they got from those heads was 306hp and that was in the dyno lab where they can tune and optimize far better than the average peson can do with the engine sitting in an engine bay.

usmcrp1044 · Post by **usmcrp1044** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:22 am

ok, will remember that.

But I've changed my mind. I'm abandonding everything and going with this motor

http://airflowresearch.com/articles/article099/A-P1.htm

well, maybe after I get everything together and get my ass handed to me by a Camaro

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:48 am

If tone and a good smoke show were what you were looking for, then that motor would sure fit the bill

usmcrp1044 · Post by **usmcrp1044** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:51 am

cgrey8 wrote:If tone and a good smoke show were what you were looking for, then that motor would sure fit the bill

Not if I win the lottery. a four link and some 31x18 slicks might help.

Sometimes I like to dream.

plowboy34 · Post by **plowboy34** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:13 am

300hp on truck heads will take $$ and lot's of time. If your going to be port matching the intake side you might as well take the extra time and clean up the exhaust side. Just knocking the smog bump off the exhaust side will do the most for you. If the engine can't get the air out it can't bring in any. Ford's exhaust are usually the worst part of there heads. If you gave me a choice on which side to port I would take the exhaust side everytime. You should keep your eye's open for a set of E7's, you can find them cheap if you just look and be patient. You could run the E7's stock and get better performance than the E6's. I know $$ is an issue but you can find E7's cheap. You port match those and clean up that exhaust side and you have some decent heads. You could alway's put the engine you have in as is and get the truck running, find you some E7's get the work on them done then just swap them out in a day. Just another thought, like you need anymore of those....lol.

usmcrp1044 · Post by **usmcrp1044** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:12 pm

plowboy34 wrote:300hp on truck heads will take $$ and lot's of time. If your going to be port matching the intake side you might as well take the extra time and clean up the exhaust side. Just knocking the smog bump off the exhaust side will do the most for you. If the engine can't get the air out it can't bring in any. Ford's exhaust are usually the worst part of there heads. If you gave me a choice on which side to port I would take the exhaust side everytime. You should keep your eye's open for a set of E7's, you can find them cheap if you just look and be patient. You could run the E7's stock and get better performance than the E6's. I know $$ is an issue but you can find E7's cheap. You port match those and clean up that exhaust side and you have some decent heads. You could alway's put the engine you have in as is and get the truck running, find you some E7's get the work on them done then just swap them out in a day. Just another thought, like you need anymore of those....lol.

How true that is.

Good idea though

broncobowsher · Post by **broncobowsher** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:12 pm

cgrey8 wrote:...

Again, to give some perspective, 300hp is what I'm targeting for a future 331 stroker motor where I'll be reusing my GT40p heads, a cam VERY similar to that Crane 2020 cam, the stock Explorer intake (which is a derivative of the 5.0L Cobra intakes), stock 65mm TB, Explorer headers, aftermarket 73mm MAF, MSD ignition box, 24lb (Cobra) injectors, and dual exhaust. Granted, a 331 should be able to do a lot more than 300hp, but since this is my daily driver and I'm far more interested in torque production from idle-5000RPMs than I am at screaming out 6000+RPMs, this will be a milder build than most 331s. I also need it to pass Ga emissions. So as 331s go, this will be a fairly small build, BUT off-idle torque production should be amazing. Point is 300hp is what I expect from that. Who knows, I might squeeze out 320hp if I do a good job at the port-matching...

that is nearly my combo. With an Isky cam that was more top end oriented I was pulling around 250 at the rear wheels. Dropped to a crane 2030 and gained much more low and mid range wil only a little loss around 5000+ (Never got the new cam dynod yet, got to fix other problems first). Doing so on 87 octane, 9:1 squeeze and bigger cast iron 10Â° heads with 2.02/1.60 valves and huge ports. 300 HP out of your 331 should be easy, but I think you will need compression to pull that off. 10:1 should really wake it up and make some power. But probably need premium gas to do it. I was pushing what I could do on some rank 87 octane garbage gas. But I also have the window to add boost later if desired. Other specs; 80mm MAF, 65mm throttle body (70mm was too touchy and gave drivability issues, 65 didn't hurt power), Explorer intake, 24's, 1-5/8 headers, high flow cat, 3Â½" single exhaust.

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:22 pm

With my ability to tune the EEC, I'm hoping I can get away with the mid 9s on compression & 87 octane. It won't produce as much power as I could get with 93, but for daily driving, I get about the same MPG with 87 laced with acetone as I was getting with 93. It doesn't have quite the power it did with 93 because I had to retard the timing at WOT, but it still has more than plenty and I save $.20+/gal at the pump.

The Crane 2020 and 2030 are both excellent cams. The 2030 has a higher lift and a wider duration making it a higher RPM oriented cam than the 2020 thus the 2030 is probably the cam most people would be interested in...and I have to admit, for this truck project the author of this thread is intending to build, the 2030 is probably a better option if his E6 heads can handle a .544" lift. I can't say anything bad about that cam at all except that it is just not what I'm looking for. I'm looking to maximize the lower end torque even more than the 2030 did for you even if I sacrifice some HP at 5000+. In a daily driven vehicle, I just don't need the power up there. But I can use it in the idle-3000 range.

broncobowsher · Post by **broncobowsher** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:46 pm

The 2030 was picked in an effort to keep the low end torque reduced. The Isky 265/275 drove like a 2 stroke. Not much power but when it woke up it was exciting. It just affected the low end a little too much.

So the 2030 went in. Idle is much improved. Feels like it is running more efficient (better economy), tailpipe smells cleaner as well. I am trying to be careful not to add too much to the low end. It is a ranger. The extended cab helps add weight to the rear axle, but it is still ight back there. And I am trying the small tire sleeper image.

Now to figure out what happened to 3rd and 4th gear.

usmcrp1044 · Post by **usmcrp1044** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:48 pm

ok, so as it stands right now, my plan is to pull the heads off my motor sometime this week. After I get them off, I'll buy a set of intake & exhaust gaskets to start out with. Maybe I'll buy a complete set of gaskets who knows, I'll need em in the end.

Anyways, once I have the heads and the gaskets I'll work on gasket matching them. That way once I get my intake all I have to worry about is that.

I dont have the cam yet, I was at the guys house today but completely forgot about it. I'll try and get that figured out to.

This site has definitely proved invaluable already, and thats just with my motor, I dont even have the truck itself yet. Thanks alot to everyone who helped me out so far.

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:15 am

broncobowsher wrote:...I am trying to be careful not to add too much to the low end. It is a ranger. The extended cab helps add weight to the rear axle, but it is still light back there...

With all my efforts to build low end torque, I may get everything in and find I can't keep the torque on the ground. But hopefully all that focus on low end torque will mean the engine is simply more efficient in the lower RPMs and thus will get me better gas mileage when my foot isn't in it. And I do have intentions of putting a wider tire on there...something in the 255 to 275 width range. Again, just waiting for the funds.

usmcrp1044 · Post by **usmcrp1044** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:55 pm

Ok, I was given the cam tonight. It's a comp cams 282s-10 model.

heres the specs I believe...

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Searc ... r=31-334-4

What do you guys think about this with stock gasket matched heads? I was also given the lifters with it as well.

There is a very little bit of surface rust on the end lobe. The guy told me cleaning it off with steel wool would be fine, sound right to you guys?

plowboy34 · Post by **plowboy34** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:32 pm

running that cam you better upgrade them there valve springs. Overall not to bad, lift is a bit stout for me for an everyday driver. Again that is me. As far as steel wool, yes it will be fine, again just check them lobes good. Black spots bad, very very bad. You can check the bottoms of the lifters the same way. Also on the lifters put a straight edge across the bottom of them and see if they are straight. make sure they are not cupping in the middle.

You don't have to gasket match, you just need to make sure the head and intake ports are relatively the same size. You can open them up more if you wish but I don't believe you will gain that much if you do not clean up the exhaust. Yes I am going to harp on the exhaust again. Ponies are in the exhaust, promise.

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:29 am

That cam is 236/236 duration. That's WAY more than I personally would go with. But my focus in cams has always been what would be a good daily driver cam. This would certainly not fall into that category. The lift is A LOT, but I've never been afraid of lift as long as the heads can handle it. Duration is what bothers me...and this one has plenty of that. With that much duration, I'm not sure you'll be able to get the motor low enough in RPMs to get a lope-lope from it. If you can manage to get the idle low enough to get it a "shake", you'll need a dual plane intake to do it. A single plane isn't likely to withstand the cross talk of this cam's 12degrees of overlap@.050".

Complete specs:
Duration: 232/232@.050"
Duration: 283/283@.015"
Duration: 288/288@.006" (estimated)
Valve Lift w/1.6 rockers: .528"/528"
Lobe Centers 106/114
Lobe sep: 110
Overlap: 12@.050"