Aluminum Heads

[65 Dartman]

1. What aluminum heads (if any) are small ports like the 273/318?

2. Are they bare heads or complete with guides and valves?

3. If complete with valves, what size are the valves?

4. Are the ready to run or if complete, should they should be gone through anyway.

5. If you’ve used such a head, would you recommend them for basically a stock 318 build - upgraded pistons, cam from someone such as Racer Brown (and others)

Thanks for any inputs. Black Friday is rapidly approaching and if possible, I’d like to take advantage of any savings!

 

[318willrun]

I do not know of any aluminum heads with 318 size ports. I doubt they would sell because that would be a really small market.
I could be wrong.

 

[rumblefish360]

1. What aluminum heads (if any) are small ports like the 273/318?

None

2. Are they bare heads or complete with guides and valves?

Yes, by everyone that offers aluminum heads.

3. If complete with valves, what size are the valves?

This a variable but largely 2.02/1.60

4. Are the ready to run or if complete, should they should be gone through anyway.

It is a worthy move to double check. My last Edelbrock heads were excellent and ran them without issue after a check out.

5. If you’ve used such a head, would you recommend them for basically a stock 318 build - upgraded pistons, cam from someone such as Racer Brown (and others)

Yes and no. It’s a catch 22. While you will gain performance, for less money, you can have the OWM ahead bowl ported with some throat work. This is assuming the rest of the head is in good shape.

 

[rumblefish360]

318 will run did this to his 318. Check his videos out for the episode. I also don’t know what your thinking for an “Upgraded camshaft.”

 

[GTX JOHN]

A stock 340 camshaft would be a pretty good upgrade for your
318 and the are nearly giveaways sometimes.

 

[273]

No reason you can't use a set of Eg. speed masters aluminum heads and intake with a mild cam Eg. Around 210-215 and 9:1 cr.

 

[ch1ll]

Always go through a new set of heads before installing them, and this goes for other parts as well.

 

[ch1ll]

A stock pair of heads will totally fit the bill and with some porting work will perform just as well. The biggie is you will dump more money into them than the cost of aluminum heads. Hardened seats, new springs,retainers, locks, maybe even valves and rocker arms considering the economy of scale that aluminum heads provide.

 

[rumblefish360]

A stock pair of heads will totally fit the bill and with some porting work will perform just as well.

Only if the oem heads are good to start with. IMO that is.

The biggie is you will dump more money into them than the cost of aluminum heads. Hardened seats, new springs,retainers, locks, maybe even valves and rocker arms considering the economy of scale that aluminum heads provide.

A lot of fear here. Hardened valve seats may not apply. New springs should be part of the new cam price, not head price. If your new cam is used on the very old oem springs, your head needs to be examined. If your locks are wrecked, the tops of the valves stems are also trash. Someone floated the valves and probably often. Not that I would expect a oem set ‘70’s or ‘&0’s to be pristine. New valves are a very very good possibility. You missed valve guides and head milling & seals. ;)

But then again….. let’s run the parts list of building an oem head gs what you’re getting on the OOTB aluminum head.

Let’s also keep in mind most people are paying for the head work and not doing it themselves.

The aluminum is a good deal IMO. The do it yourself we can use the oem head and save very big. Going against a stupid cheap chink head is near impossible to beat and it won’t be if your paying someone to do it.

Locks and retainers are stupid cheap and not worth labeling as an expensive part. That’s like rear mongering. The springs are purchased with the cam like you would the lifters. Re use the oem retainers. Head machining for springs isn’t a always needed.

1.88 valves, summit didn’t list 1.78, but you can get them else where. 8 valves for a whooping $61.52 & exhaust for $60.20.

$121.72 for valves. Springs locks and retainers can come with the camshaft and lifter package with locks designed to fit the OEM valves. Pay a machinist for head milling for a flat surface, cut the valve seats and new guides. For the price of a bit, you can cut down the valve spring seat yourself with a electric hand drill.

(Sorry, I’m a little over over the place with my reply.)

 

[ch1ll]

Only if the oem heads are good to start with. IMO that is.

A lot of fear here. Hardened valve seats may not apply. New springs should be part of the new cam price, not head price. If your new cam is used on the very old oem springs, your head needs to be examined. If your locks are wrecked, the tops of the valves stems are also trash. Someone floated the valves and probably often. Not that I would expect a oem set ‘70’s or ‘&0’s to be pristine. New valves are a very very good possibility. You missed valve guides and head milling & seals. ;)

But then again….. let’s run the parts list of building an oem head gs what you’re getting on the OOTB aluminum head.

Let’s also keep in mind most people are paying for the head work and not doing it themselves.

The aluminum is a good deal IMO. The do it yourself we can use the oem head and save very big. Going against a stupid cheap chink head is near impossible to beat and it won’t be if your paying someone to do it.

Locks and retainers are stupid cheap and not worth labeling as an expensive part. That’s like rear mongering. The springs are purchased with the cam like you would the lifters. Re use the oem retainers. Head machining for springs isn’t a always needed.

1.88 valves, summit didn’t list 1.78, but you can get them else where. 8 valves for a whooping $61.52 & exhaust for $60.20.

$121.72 for valves. Springs locks and retainers can come with the camshaft and lifter package with locks designed to fit the OEM valves. Pay a machinist for head milling for a flat surface, cut the valve seats and new guides. For the price of a bit, you can cut down the valve spring seat yourself with a electric hand drill.

(Sorry, I’m a little over over the place with my reply.)

That is exactly what I was getting at, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

[Mean416]

For what speedmaster and the like are charging these days I wouldn't even think about cast iron for an engine I'm planning on running for a build I'm keeping.

The out of the box heads out there aren't going to be overkill on any 318. Even the best heads out there would work very well on a basically stock bottom end 318.

 

[pittsburghracer]

For what speedmaster and the like are charging these days I wouldn't even think about cast iron for an engine I'm planning on running for a build I'm keeping.

The out of the box heads out there aren't going to be overkill on any 318. Even the best heads out there would work very well on a basically stock bottom end 318.

I agree. They max out in the 250’s but not at the lift he will be using.