Head Manufacturers
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 14
From: St Louis
Head Manufacturers
Sorry, I haven't had a chance to beat on this horse...
Have an 88' L98 that I'm doing the standard Super Ram setup with (219 cam, opened up exhaust, 1.6 rollers, ect.) Currently, I'm looking for an ideal set of reasonably priced heads for it.
I've heard the Floteks are okay castings if you do the valves yourself, but I've also heard the valve guides aren't the best on the bare heads, either. Moving up it's then a choice between Brodix and AFR budget prebuilts. Both seem to fit my cam/rocker combo (.560 max lift), but the only reason I'm leaning towards Brodix is because they come in a 180cc intake version, while AFR only comes in 195cc. This won't become a stroker, it'll stay around 350 as a daily. What would everyone's opinion on the "best" choice in this situation be? Is the difference between the intake volume worth worrying about?
Have an 88' L98 that I'm doing the standard Super Ram setup with (219 cam, opened up exhaust, 1.6 rollers, ect.) Currently, I'm looking for an ideal set of reasonably priced heads for it.
I've heard the Floteks are okay castings if you do the valves yourself, but I've also heard the valve guides aren't the best on the bare heads, either. Moving up it's then a choice between Brodix and AFR budget prebuilts. Both seem to fit my cam/rocker combo (.560 max lift), but the only reason I'm leaning towards Brodix is because they come in a 180cc intake version, while AFR only comes in 195cc. This won't become a stroker, it'll stay around 350 as a daily. What would everyone's opinion on the "best" choice in this situation be? Is the difference between the intake volume worth worrying about?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
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From: Sligo PA
Racer
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 274
Likes: 60
From: Texas
I like TFS heads, at least they are great for my SBF. 
My Vette has some smog legal TPI spec units from Edelbrock that seem to be nice units. 2.02/1.6, fast burn chamber, etc. They are just not big heads, around 170cc and peak flow is about 225cfm @ 0.500". Nice boost from stock but I doubt I would pay for them unless snagged for a song.
Is your camshaft that LPE unit? If so, is it performing well for you? I am unsure what bump-stick to do for mine.
My Vette has some smog legal TPI spec units from Edelbrock that seem to be nice units. 2.02/1.6, fast burn chamber, etc. They are just not big heads, around 170cc and peak flow is about 225cfm @ 0.500". Nice boost from stock but I doubt I would pay for them unless snagged for a song. Is your camshaft that LPE unit? If so, is it performing well for you? I am unsure what bump-stick to do for mine.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 14
From: St Louis
I like TFS heads, at least they are great for my SBF. My Vette has some smog legal TPI spec units from Edelbrock that seem to be nice units. 2.02/1.6, fast burn chamber, etc. They are just not big heads, around 170cc and peak flow is about 225cfm @ 0.500". Nice boost from stock but I doubt I would pay for them unless snagged for a song.
Is your camshaft that LPE unit? If so, is it performing well for you? I am unsure what bump-stick to do for mine.
My Vette has some smog legal TPI spec units from Edelbrock that seem to be nice units. 2.02/1.6, fast burn chamber, etc. They are just not big heads, around 170cc and peak flow is about 225cfm @ 0.500". Nice boost from stock but I doubt I would pay for them unless snagged for a song.Is your camshaft that LPE unit? If so, is it performing well for you? I am unsure what bump-stick to do for mine.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 274
Likes: 60
From: Texas
Makes sense, never really looked close at SBC offerings as I have adequate heads for my goals already. Hopefully it all goes well for you upon reassembly, mine is constantly an up hill battle.
Tax evasion, eh?
Tax evasion, eh?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 14
From: St Louis
On one hand, Illinois is atrocious and doesn't deserve the money, but on the other I really didn't like paying for the engine and transmission rebuild twice, since they outsourced those to other shops and didn't pay them after I gave the money for the rebuilds.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 739
From: Stay dangerous my friends
I second the AFR195 as it's exceptional for the wide range low to midrange and up to slightly higher redline with mild cam and intake upgrades for 350 cu... in probably makes significantly more power under the curve than most heads with similar flow rating. For a TPI intake, their 180 CNC heads would be slightly better on a 350, but with the better intake and cams the 195's.
I believe in proper velocity and cylinder filling throughout the intake cycle being more important than flow and cc's for the intake when comparing different brands, so I'm considering that in this response. With a computer simulation, the smaller CC intake heads might do a little bit better as the low lift flow numbers for input into the simulation, but in real life the AFR195 is special. The air moves back and forth much more than it does a single direction, and this is even more pronounced in low to mid range. It's not just flow numbers, those just evaluate a rough ceiling for potential.
I believe in proper velocity and cylinder filling throughout the intake cycle being more important than flow and cc's for the intake when comparing different brands, so I'm considering that in this response. With a computer simulation, the smaller CC intake heads might do a little bit better as the low lift flow numbers for input into the simulation, but in real life the AFR195 is special. The air moves back and forth much more than it does a single direction, and this is even more pronounced in low to mid range. It's not just flow numbers, those just evaluate a rough ceiling for potential.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
Likes: 750
From: near the thumb in the mitten
If you Google lingenfelter Superram you will find information about what lingenfelter was doing when LPE was building engines with it. It is better than the stock tpi but it increases torque more than horsepower.