Are these heads junk?

-

Super Sleeper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
126
Reaction score
225
Location
Sequim, WA
These heads have been sitting for years and I can't find much info on them but what I have found (here) is not encouraging. They are aluminum, don't have rocker shaft towers but steel girdles to carry the rocker gear. They are Zeus castings and have a part number P4582900. Are these the W5 heads that were not successful?
20200425_124430.jpg
20200425_124430.jpg
20200425_124515.jpg


20200425_124438.jpg
 
I’m gonna go with “large port Commando” heads.

Edit: after looking at the pics again, looks like small guides and that they have the Magnum rocker stands.
Could be the aluminum Magnum Head.

Are the intake attaching bolt holes vertical like a magnum, or more like the LA style?
The Large Port head uses W5 intake gaskets and offset intake rockers IIRC.

Edit 2: looks like the Magnum style intake attachment.
P4876624
 
Last edited:
Looking at the pushrod holes, I think they are the aluminum Magnum heads. Did you get all of those rockers?

The ten valve cover bolts say Magnum also.
 
What diameter of valves are the seats cut for? Is that a 273/318 (2.08 X 1.05) intake port or a 340/360 (2.27 X 1.16) dimension?
 
I am going by memory here, but I think they were the aluminum equivalent of the Magnum R/T heads. If so, a good street head! I may be wrong on that though.
 
Those may have been Magnum castings to begin with, but they've been modified. The rocker pedestals have been machined down to accommodate those rocker shaft adapters. The pedestals are not as tall as the stock Magnum pedestals.
 
Great heads. These are Magnum aluminum heads that someone has added the steel mini-shaft holder to. There were some regular production iron Magnum heads for sale on here a while back with that rocker system on them. If it were the "Large Port Commando" castings, it would have the offset intake pushrod tunnels and conventional LA bolt pattern on the intake face. They (LPC heads) do NOT use W5 gaskets, just regular LA gaskets and bolt alignment, not W2/5. I have though about modifying some LPC heads I have to W5 port/gasket/bolt pattern, but they flow pretty dang well thru the LA window.
 
did magnum 318 heads have smaller ports than magnum 360? other differences?

MoPar listed their port volume at 177cc., 58cc chambers IIRC, 1.92"x1.625 seats, 8mm guides. The "Commando" heads from the same basic casting (untapped rocker pedestals and cast-in LA shaft stands) had 2.02x1.60" seats and 3/8"
guides.
 
Last edited:
I’ve never seen any in person.
I was just relaying what the catalog showed....... which says w5 intake opening on head #P4876310.

I do realize catalogs are often loaded with incorrect info.

C249B84C-3CA0-4225-8EEC-A585567F6B43.png
 
Here's some answers

Yes, I have all the rocker gear - picture attached
The manifold bolts are vertical 5/16" and all have inserts into the aluminum - picture attached
The intake valve size is 1.91" the exhaust valve size is 1.62" and the stem size is 0.31"
The seat diameters (at the aluminum diameter to the seat material) are 2.05" Int 1.67" exh
The intake ports measure 1.06" wide in the middle (they get wider at the top) and 2.27" tall - so 340/360?

Yes, I would like to sell them after I know more about them. I will list them in the for sale forum. They belonged to my brother, he passed away last year. I'm helping my niece and the money will be useful to help refurb the house.

The heads were sitting out in his work area and it looked like he had played around with the rocker geometry measurements. They're a bit dusty but otherwise just like they came out of the box. I can probably find the boxes also! Only one exhaust and one intake valve, plus two adjustable pushrods. All the rocker gear will go along. BTW, that's an Edelbrock 60767 NHRA head sitting next to the pair. I am looking for the other one. They will go up for sale also.

So does anybody have a more accurate identification?

20200425_135413.jpg


20200425_140140.jpg


20200425_140155.jpg
 
I take it that they're a magnum casting with the magnum intake port dimensions, which to my understanding Chrysler used the same head for 5.2 or 5.9 magnum heads. What would the intake port dimensions be for those?
 
I am sorry to hear about your loss. Those look like some really high quality parts, wishing I could drop the hammer on that deal.
 
I’ve never seen any in person.
I was just relaying what the catalog showed....... which says w5 intake opening on head #P4876310.

I do realize catalogs are often loaded with incorrect info.

View attachment 1715516248

Wasn't busting balls-lol. The LPC heads are a sore spot with me. Back in my bucks-down (still-haha) days, I had a one time shot at the then fairly new (late '90s) 4" crank motors. I scored a 340 block and Diamond pistons, the MP crank and Eagle SIR (bolt and nut) rods. I wanted the Large Port Commando heads BAD, but no one, not even the MP tech line could tell me what all was needed to run them. Not what rocker gear or valve lengths or intake manifolds worked with them. Basically they to me to just order them and figure it out! With limited funds and patience (still issues I have!), I went with Edelbrock heads, costing myself at least 50hp in the process. Several years later, Steve Dulcich did an article on them, and by then, MoPar was calling them their "Street W5" head, which made things even more confusing. Several years back they started showing up on Ebay and no one really knew what they were, so I got them cheap. They use regular intake manifolds and valves (3/8" stem LA 2.02x1.60"), and W2/5 rocker gear/stands (no pushrod pinch). Shady Dell Speed Shop (RIP?) was a big promoter of the potential of these heads, and I was considering letting Ryan work them over. OH WELL!
 
318MagAlum.jpg
My aforementioned 318 turbo project's heads. Same heads as the OP's but ported to W2 exhaust, sleeved pushrod tubes, floors filled-in with epoxy and ported to LA size (doing away with the odd trapezoid shape as-cast). Flowed 290ish cfm at .600" with a 1.92" 8mm stem +.100 long Magnum intake valve. The flow balance was crazy, I think they flowed 240+ exhaust at .600"!
 
-
Back
Top