Engine upgrades
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
I'm concerned that through buying "cheap" heads, I'm skimping on this build, and my motor will suffer because of it. Are Dart heads decent? I know everyone loves AFR heads, and if they're that much better I'll spend the extra $700 on em, but I just want to see if having the Dart 180 heads are capable, especially if they've been ported and polished.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
Anyone? This is the defining question between me purchasing a set of Darts, and purchasing the AFR's. The AFR's are about 600 more and I want to know if my build would truly benefit from them. My target goal is about 350-360hp/tq at the wheels. Thanks in advance!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 201
From: Willoughby Ohio
Another good option for heads are the pro-filer line.They can be bought
with combustion chambers from 64 to 72 cc.I have a set of 210's waiting for my dart 400 short block to be finished.Chad Speier is a very good source for these heads.These heads also come in straight plug versions for all sizes.Google these heads, you'll be suprised how well they perform as cast.Last but not least,these heads were designed by Darin Morgan of Reher Morrison.I believe you can't go wrong with these or the afr heads.
with combustion chambers from 64 to 72 cc.I have a set of 210's waiting for my dart 400 short block to be finished.Chad Speier is a very good source for these heads.These heads also come in straight plug versions for all sizes.Google these heads, you'll be suprised how well they perform as cast.Last but not least,these heads were designed by Darin Morgan of Reher Morrison.I believe you can't go wrong with these or the afr heads.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
With heads you get what you pay for and flow numbers and power potential increases with flow and cost. The best head is AFR as you know. The thing about a better head is if you have an identical build with the same size ports, compression and cam and one head has 235 cfm flow @ .500 lift and the other has 280 at the same lift you might get an extra 30- 40 peak hp out of the better head with better throttle response and noticably more power throughout the powerband of the cam with better streetability as well because it pulls better off idle. This is power with no downside.
Bigger head ports, Higher compression and a bigger cam to match gets you more power but that extra comes with the downside of moving your useable powerband rpm up, less vacuum, poorer fuel mileage and decreased off idle throttle response.
Bigger head ports, Higher compression and a bigger cam to match gets you more power but that extra comes with the downside of moving your useable powerband rpm up, less vacuum, poorer fuel mileage and decreased off idle throttle response.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 56
From: anchorage ak
If you go afr you could use a smaller camshaft to make the same power, ive never used dart heads so i cant say either way about them, think of it this way, if you buy they best head, you wont be buying heads again for the act of trying to squeeze more power out of them. How much will porting cost, how much bigger will the ports be, and what will they flow? I looked at getting my edelbrocks ported the wanted $1100 to port, and the flow numbers they said were about the same as the 195 afr's so i bought the afrs and sold the edel brocks to offset the cost.
Last edited by bluedawg; Feb 4, 2013 at 02:53 PM.
