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Old 01-08-2003, 10:55 PM   #1
LT-102
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Improving Stock Cylinder Head Performance

What can I do to my stock #487X heads to increase their performance? It's a 1971, 350 that has been rebuilt with a less than satisfactory cam. The heads were redone at the same time, but not with any special performance enhancements. I'm planning on kicking up the perfomance and going to Comp Cams camshaft with 224/230 duration, 477/480 lift and 110 lobe separation. 750 carb. Compression is about 9.4 to 1.

What can I have a machine shop do to the heads to better their performance? A best guess on what it would cost would be helpful. Thanks
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Old 01-08-2003, 11:08 PM   #2
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One thing I forgot, I may go to 1.6 rockers, and that would make my valve lift, 509/512. Should I get the studs changed from pressed in to screwed in?
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Old 01-08-2003, 11:49 PM   #3
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Run. Do not walk . To the store or telephone and order yourself up a set of Z28 style valve springs. Make sure they are rated for .550 lift at their installed height. Some are not. Look for around 110 lbs at installed height spring pressure. Dont go over 270lbs or so compressed spring pressure for regular street driving unless you like flat lobes. With stock springs you'll float your valves without really trying very hard at the RPM where that cam is starting to make good power. I can show you some pistons with big dents in them and a few bent valves if you'd like proof.

487's are half decent factory castings. Without getting too far into porting you should be able to pick up a few horses gasket matching the intake ports and polishing up the bowl areas.
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Old 01-08-2003, 11:57 PM   #4
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the vortec heads are better flowing than many aftermarket heads, but you would have to get a different intake to match the ports.
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Old 01-09-2003, 12:00 AM   #5
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I have puposely not given advise here because of the last attitude given by a few on this board but what the hey...many here have helped me recently.

This is a very BIG question you asked.....

Do NOT take them to joe machine shop and let them "port" your heads. Find someone who specializes in professional head work if you expect to see any decent results. You can tell a pro by the following:

He will have a Serdi, he will have a flow bench, he will have LOTS of experience and references, and he will have a wait.

He will also have higher prices than joe machine shop but if you havent figured out yet in this world you get what you pay for.

There is little to no flow improvement by opening the port "window" unless there is an obvious mismatch and then manifold work should be the choice.

Most "porters" WILL do more damage than good. PERIOD. You can clean out the bowls youself but even this will not help without a valve job MATCHED to your useage.

good luck
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Old 01-09-2003, 12:08 AM   #6
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a little bowl port work...multi-angle valve job..back cut the valves..go with screw in studs..elongate the pushrod holes(if you insist on using 1.6 rockers) you will see very little improvement with gasket matching(IMHO) Using 1.6 rockers is not a magic bullet, some engines will see some improvement...some will see a decrease in performance..if you are trying to crutch a cam..Get the right cam..if your fine tuning on a dyno..give it a shot...I just dont think its worth the stress it puts on the valve train.
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Old 01-09-2003, 12:35 AM   #7
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http://www.sa-motorsports.com/diyport.htm --- a good reference for cleaning up your heads. What they are doing is a street/strip port job that would usually cost about $500. There is no black magic as far as cleaning up a head, just don't go hog wild about removing metal. If you just blend the shortcomings of what the factory did, you will see improvement.
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Old 01-09-2003, 12:41 AM   #8
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Durney's right.....So's BigJim.........

Unless you take the heads to a knowledgable PRO, it can Permanently hurt the heads instead of improving them.

Depending on what your after, I would just go to the cam you mentioned. Don't screw with 1.6 rockers, If you want more cam then go more cam. Screw in studs never hurt, but i've ran equivalent to that cam with no problems.
Yes, A little stiffer is good also, but you didn't mention if they gave you new ones when you had what work done to them you had. If they're new they "should"be up to par. That cam if i remember right is rated 17,1800 RPM,to 6000 RPM. And realistically, how many times are you going to rev it that high. And if you are really concerned about the springs, then buy the complete kit. (Cam,springs,and lifters) Then you know it's "matched"

Good luck, let us know what you decide and how it goes.


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Old 01-09-2003, 01:20 AM   #9
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6000 RPM is nothing. I have a smaller cam than that and I regularly hit 6500 RPM . Regularly as in every day 7 or 8 times at least. Manual transmission driving is a lot different than slushbox driving. Get the springs if you drive hard. If you dont then there is no point in getting that cam.

OK we are talking street driving with a 350 here .... As far as taking the heads to a porter ....It is a total waste of money. Any decent porter will charge you WAY more to port and test your heads than you will pay for good flowing aftermarket jobs that flow better out of the box than you could ever possibly get out of those 487X heads. In my eyes the best bang for the buck on the street are the Pro lightning 200 CC heads. Theyre modeled after Vortecs but with improved exhaust ports and larger valves and port cross sections. For $750 a set you cant beat it. $750 worth of porting will get you a bowl cleanup and head rebuild on your 487's and flow NO WHERE NEAR the numbers the pro lighnings will give. And unlike the Vortecs they do not require special intake manifolds or valve train accesories. I picked up a set for a motor I'm building my brother the other day and the castings are so good I'll be ordering up a set for myself next month when my 4th qtr bonus check comes in.


As far as the 1.6 rockers. Theyre not a crutch.Check out the cam lobe specs on just about every manufactureres lobes. One lobe gets used on multiple different engines . The small block chevy has one of the lowest available ratios . That doesnt help anything. Fords use the same lobes with a 1.6 in their small blocks. Some small block engines such as the 351 Cleveland go as high as 1.72 in ratio with the exact same spec lobes. If your heads flow good in the .500" range then it benefits you to get the valve there quickly an keep it there as long as possible .

Anyone want a slightly used set of World product SR Torquers?
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Old 01-09-2003, 01:28 AM   #10
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how much Mike
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Old 01-09-2003, 01:38 AM   #11
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Theyr'e the older style with the screw in studs and stepped guide plates that can be used with 1.6 rockers, .550" lift springs , 170 CC intake ports , 76 CC chambers . Just passed 5000 miles on the heads since I installed them on this motor and they were new in the box before that. I'd take $375 plus shipping.
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Old 01-09-2003, 02:00 AM   #12
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I'm looking for some heads too, if you want to sell the torquers I wight be interested. Also, where did you get the other heads from that you were talking about? I haven't really looked for them, but I have never seen or heard of them before either.
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Old 01-09-2003, 07:55 AM   #13
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thats a good deal Mike..I would want the 67cc ones..someone will get a good deal though.
Jim
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Old 01-09-2003, 08:16 AM   #14
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http://proshaver.com/netspecial.htm

http://proshaver.com/ProCatalog.pdf

Theres several distributors of the pro action heads but heres one with pretty good pricing. I got the 200 cc angle plugs for my brother and will probably for myself too.

My WP's I'll be putting up for sale end of next month or so. Theyre good heads in their own right and are probably the most streetable performance head going but I have one little problem....I drive like an idiot!
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Old 01-09-2003, 12:29 PM   #15
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I have been thinking about buying a set of the torquers anyway, so put me first in line when you are ready to sell them. I am definintly interested in them. (unless I can come up with enough money to buy a set of the other ones. lol)
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Old 01-09-2003, 03:15 PM   #16
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If you really want to know how to wake up your GM heads, go to www.motorbooks.com and look for David Vizard's book "How to Build and Modify Small Block Chevy Cylinder Heads" it is very well done and will allow you to mod your own heads for flow in the 240 cfm range, 260 if you are good. (As comparison, my CNC Heads ported LT1 flow 267 cfm , all flow figures referenced at .500 lift) Cylinder head porting is a little more involved than just getting advice on a message board, but it is a good place to start.
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