340 Aluminum Head, Rocker Arm Upgrade

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Powerflite

Powerflite

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I am about to install a port injection setup on the '72? 340 motor in my '67 Barracuda and would like to upgrade the headers, heads & rockers at the same time. I believe the motor is mostly stock, gauged just by it's power output.
1. Are there any aluminum heads that are clear winners over the others? I would like good heads I can use right out of the box, and upgrade them to use on a stroker motor later on.
2. Any idea how the 65 cc aluminum heads compare to stock heads from 1972 or 1973?
3. Would it be a good or bad idea to use 1.6 ratio rockers to increase the cam profile without touching it? If so, what rockers do you suggest?
Thanks in advance!

CudaEFI.jpg
 
No such beast as an out of the box, bolt on head. There are threads about this all over the site. Just forget it. Whichever heads you settle on, have them checked out by a competent machine shop, as none are perfect, ready to bolt on. It simply doesn't exist. That said, the Trick Flow heads are probably the best and closest, but I still advise having them gone through as well. 65cc chambers are a bit smaller than most stock open chamber small block heads. They normally cc around 70 or so. For rocker arms, I would look at the Comp Pro Magnums.
 
DO NOT buy the open chamber 60179 edelbrock head says is for 340's, bad... By the closed chambered one 60779

Especially if you plan to build something like a stroker later.
 
You have two days left for Black Friday for a set of aluminum Speedmaster heads for $699 complete with free shipping.
 
Powerflite said:
I am about to install a port injection setup on the '72? 340 motor in my '67 Barracuda and would like to upgrade the headers, heads & rockers at the same time. I believe the motor is mostly stock, gauged just by it's power output.
1. Are there any aluminum heads that are clear winners over the others?
Click to expand...
Yes, Trick Flow
Powerflite said:
2. Any idea how the 65 cc aluminum heads compare to stock heads from 1972 or 1973?
Click to expand...
I have done a zero deck piston @ 10-1 - 360 w/J heads to Edelbrock heads and would call it equal to a set of ported J heads.
Powerflite said:
3. Would it be a good or bad idea to use 1.6 ratio rockers to increase the cam profile without touching it? If so, what rockers do you suggest?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Yes and no. What you would have to consider is the cams profile as seen at the valve and consider it a different cam than if it was used with a 1.5 rocker. Small potatoes? Maybe.
Depends on how scientific your going to get on the engine.

From my “Hot Rod’ers” point of view, it’s a good move. I like to lift the valve as much as the head flows air.
From the scientist goggles, maybe not so much as the correct cam should be purchased if not a custom one.

PRW, Hughes Engines for 1.6 rockers.
I haven’t gotten to my Comp 1.6 rockers yet.
 
There junk chink knock off heads that work very well after you sink money into them by being well ported and a valve job.

Edit: Search @MOPAROFFICIAL and find his thread completely trashing these heads.
 
I consider higher than stock ratio rockers an "afterthought". Not necessarily a bad thing. Lemmie splain. lol Lets say you have a camshaft already...maybe you got a good deal. Maybe somebody gave it to you.....you just already had it "somehow". That's about the only time "I" would run a higher than stock ratio. If that cam was "a little small" maybe for what you were doing. Still a good cam but it's be better with a little more lift. In other words, higher ratio rockers are not something "I" would choose for a completely new build, because I would choose the correct lift camshaft using the stock 1.5 ratio. Does that make sense?
 
Powerflite said:
Sounds awesome. Do you have a link to the speedmasters?
Click to expand...
Don't ask me to buy them for you too.

Engines & Components > Cylinder Heads > Cylinder Heads

The cylinder head works by allowing the air-fuel mixture to enter one valve and the exhaust gas to exit the other. Speedmaster™ cylinder heads offer improved power throughout the rpm range for greater throttle response and top-end horsepower.
www.speedmaster79.com www.speedmaster79.com
 
rumblefish360 said:
There junk chink knock off heads that work very well after you sink money into them by being well ported and a valve job.

Edit: Search @MOPAROFFICIAL and find his thread completely trashing these heads.
Click to expand...
If you do check the thread with Moparofficial you will notice that it was cast iron heads not aluminum. And that they had sent him two different part numbers. But I believe in the end they did him right. Call them junk if you want to. They still make horsepower. there's still aluminum and they're good for their price. they're great for their price. The only thing you want to do is pull them apart and make sure everything is cleaned and fits correctly and then put them back together and use them.
 
I am corrected

They’ll make power when ported
 
For the long term goal with a stroker-TF's all day long. With that being said OOTB would still mean checking guide clearance and spring heights. TF is as good as it gets for what you want but with the way things are today it's easier to just be thorough and when you bolt them on you have in your mind that everything is right....

JW
 
If you decide on Speedmasters you better plan on having the rocker shafts stands looked at, and the valve heights checked. If those areas have been corrected by Speedmaster that's great. Both sets of SB SpeedMaster heads I've bought in the recent past the stands radius did not match the shaft radius. The valve stem heights were all over the place as well and if you plan on installing oem style non-adjustable rocker arms you best check hydraulic lifter preload. Might be ok, but you need that checked over. And inspect all the heli-coil inserts. I found a couple on one head that were suspect, the coils were not fully engaged with the threads in the aluminum, slightly bent inwards/tighter coil at their ends where a bolt/stud is first threaded in. Not a major issue, easily corrected but rather shoddy IMO.

Now as to the Trick Flow heads? All you really have to do is make sure they are clean, test fit your components and bolt them on. They are that good. I have a set and they are on a running engine. I looked them over, removed/checked a few valves , valve job heights etc. because I can be anal. Verified, they are true OOTB for most mortals and applications. You buy them as a true bolt-on item, that's what you are paying for. But by all means if you just don't trust anything or want absolute peace of mind take them to a high quality highly regarded shop to be looked over. Verify that the technician(s) doing the inspecting is/are well versed in aftermarket performance heads, on par with the level of people assembling them at Trick Flow. Shops that know their sh*t.
 
For what the OP described, the TF190 heads would be my first choice with the ProMaxx 185 Shockers pretty close behind. The CNC'd Speedmasters are a good buy, but machining and valve job is not on par with the TF and PM in my opinion so you need to figure that into the overall cost if that is the way you go.
 
12many said:
If you decide on Speedmasters you better plan on having the rocker shafts stands looked at, and the valve heights checked. If those areas have been corrected by Speedmaster that's great. Both sets of SB SpeedMaster heads I've bought in the recent past the stands radius did not match the shaft radius. The valve stem heights were all over the place as well and if you plan on installing oem style non-adjustable rocker arms you best check hydraulic lifter preload. Might be ok, but you need that checked over. And inspect all the heli-coil inserts. I found a couple on one head that were suspect, the coils were not fully engaged with the threads in the aluminum, slightly bent inwards/tighter coil at their ends where a bolt/stud is first threaded in. Not a major issue, easily corrected but rather shoddy IMO.

Now as to the Trick Flow heads? All you really have to do is make sure they are clean, test fit your components and bolt them on. They are that good. I have a set and they are on a running engine. I looked them over, removed/checked a few valves , valve job heights etc. because I can be anal. Verified, they are true OOTB for most mortals and applications. You buy them as a true bolt-on item, that's what you are paying for. But by all means if you just don't trust anything or want absolute peace of mind take them to a high quality highly regarded shop to be looked over. Verify that the technician(s) doing the inspecting is/are well versed in aftermarket performance heads, on par with the level of people assembling them at Trick Flow. Shops that know their sh*t.
Click to expand...
Perfect. My reply to this aligns with yours. I have been in manufacturing my whole working career and even the "top guns" of my Industry have an off day but that's the extent of it. Trick flow makes nice parts plain and simple....Looking back now I would have been better off just ponying up the extra dough for TF's versus the SM's but that's all history now....

JW
 
Buying new, and planning on upgrading to a stroker I'd probably buy Trickflows. I'd probably look int Rod Bloomers heads too.

I've made good power with ported Edelbrocks, but I bought them used and had them ported, many years ago.

When I built my 340 with the Edelbrocks I bought 1.6 rockers from Hughes, they've held up well even after having to grind the piss out of them to clear the valve springs. I used 1.7's on my current Indy headed small block.
 
The way I understand it, the rocker ratio increases maximum lift but also increases lift through the whole sweep of the lift. I’ll guarantee you that Mike at b3 racing is going to suggest a 1:6 rocker.
 
Bodyperson said:
The way I understand it, the rocker ratio increases maximum lift but also increases lift through the whole sweep of the lift. I’ll guarantee you that Mike at b3 racing is going to suggest a 1:6 rocker.
Click to expand...
Correct and agree!
 
As with most things. What you should or would buy is dependent on what you expect as a result. SM's are cheap, can be fixed up and still cost mush less than some alternatives and provide solid output. Just depeneds on where you want to spend your dollars.

Looking a for a streetable 500hp SB engine, lots of OEM style heads fit that bill.

TF have always been nicely machined regardless of product line (GM, Ford, Mopar)
 
Bodyperson said:
The way I understand it, the rocker ratio increases maximum lift but also increases lift through the whole sweep of the lift. I’ll guarantee you that Mike at b3 racing is going to suggest a 1:6 rocker.
Click to expand...
So does choosing a camshaft with the right lift for 1.5! Same difference!
 
RustyRatRod said:
So does choosing a camshaft with the right lift for 1.5! Same difference!
Click to expand...
I cant argue cause I don’t really understand it all but it’s in the geometry of the pushrods of the 1:6 that benefit more so than the 1:5 rockers. I’ll have to go read Mikes articles 4 more times. Maybe my thick skull will understand it better then. Lol
 
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