How much does a Slant 6 engine weigh?
Would be great if somebody made an alum head for the slant, but maybe after pigs fly.
I don't know about the rest of the engine, but I weighed the cast iron head (I honestly can't remember whether it had valves, rockers and a rocker arm shaft... probably did,) but it weighed EIGHTY FOUR POUNDS all by itself.
People lust after an aluminum head for this engine, but it looks to me like, with the small bores, there would be little to be gained with a redesigned head, if it were a 2-valve configuration. There's just not room for big valves...
Now, an aluminum, 4-valve-per-cylinder head, would be worth whatever it took to achieve that...
I'm not holding my breath.
In the meantime, forced induction can go a long way toward minimizing the breathing problems incurred when you put a head which was designed for a 170, on a 225 (and, unless you opt for the Argentine item,) that's all we've got.
Forced induction is not without its problems on this engine, but the dividends would seem to be well worth the trouble, if you're patient.
My 2-cents...
