aluminum heads yay or nay....

[FHI-prez]

going to buy a set of assembled edel 460 rpm heads for my BBF
good idea for a jet boat? if not why? :mix:
maintenance difference from iron? :squiggle:
motor is fresh water cooled
anything I should be aware of or concerned about, like sand etc? :messedup:
I need a bit of help here guys, thanks for your input!! :cool:
As you might have guessed this will be my first set of alum. heads in a boat or car, so feel free to pretend I'm retarded :messedup: and tell me all I need to know
Nick

[1978 Rogers]

I think they'd be great. Lighter than iron heads.
I don't think sand will be a problem. The water doesn't flow through a block very fast. So as the velocity of the water slow after entering the block and passages I thing the sand will settle to the bottom on you block.

[FHI-prez]

I think they'd be great. Lighter than iron heads.
I don't think sand will be a problem. The water doesn't flow through a block very fast. So as the velocity of the water slow after entering the block and passages I thing the sand will settle to the bottom on you block.
Yeah, I havn't pop'd the freeze plugs out of the block yet to see, but I'd be
willing to bet it's got some sand sitting down there. :skull:
Nick

[Taylorman]

Im rebuilding my engine now and i hosed out the water passages this weekend and the water coming out was brown from the mud that settled in the block.
Go for the alum heads and don't look back. Performer RPM heads are great for the money.

[moneysucker]

Make sure you follow the torque instructions. you have to torque, run, torque, run, torque I believe. Petrofied would know more about this. In super chevy the weight is an advantage and make sure that you do your research on the flow of diferent brands. some flow barely better than stock. If you are getting new exaust I would suggest the ones that use the chevy exaust ports. Fords are very small. I am by no means an expert on these and I don't own a set but My brother is running Edelbrocks on his 460 and seems to be happy. He had his completely ported though. Do your home work and you will also need longer throw plugs and push rods.

[Squirtcha?]

I'm running the ebrocks on my 460. They've been on there for three seasons. The exhaust ports are much better than the stock iron heads. If I'm not mistaken, the flow numbers on box stock ebrocks are better than D3's and even the DO's and C8's after being race ported. Still not stellar by other standards (you could do better, but not for the money). In short, I highly recommend them.
Make sure you buy the ARP head bolt kit that goes with em (don't use the stock bolts).
Oh yeah, they were literally a bolt on deal.
How can ya go wrong with 70-80 lbs less weight and better flow. It'd cost ya a grand to have a set of irons ported and set up with scew in rocker studs, hardened pushrods and guides, bigger valves etc.

[djdtpr]

Make sure you follow the torque instructions. you have to torque, run, torque, run, torque I believe. Petrofied would know more about this. In super chevy the weight is an advantage and make sure that you do your research on the flow of diferent brands. some flow barely better than stock. If you are getting new exaust I would suggest the ones that use the chevy exaust ports. Fords are very small. I am by no means an expert on these and I don't own a set but My brother is running Edelbrocks on his 460 and seems to be happy. He had his completely ported though. Do your home work and you will also need longer throw plugs and push rods.
What he said!
My buddy runs a set of the Art Francis heads and loves them they use the chevy exhaust ports and flowed pretty good.

[1978 Rogers]

Yeah, I havn't pop'd the freeze plugs out of the block yet to see, but I'd be
willing to bet it's got some sand sitting down there. :skull:
Nick
My plugs on the left side poped out this passed winter. Do damge done to block. I'm pulling them out and cleaning the block out this year. Then filling the block with some antifreeze.

[FHI-prez]

I love this forum shit :)
Your advice and experience is invaluable and greatly appreciated. I'm not overly worried about the flow numbers. I'm trying to be realistic and I KNOW they flow better than the stock D3's that have been pulled off. Good word on the torque and ARP bolts. I was planning on ARP's anyway, and I have to find out exactly what they want as far as torque procedure goes. I do know that you have to re-torque at LEAST once, but probably wouldn't hurt to do it twice. And I also know the motor must be cooled down to room temp before you retorque. :cool: But as far as the plugs go, I was deffinitely going to anti sieze them, but I have no clue as far as what plug number to run. I'll find that out in good time. I gotta get the bottom end together first so I don't want to jump the gun......but she's gonna be a healthy motor to be sure. She'll be putting out a true 500 ponies which is my goal.
Thanks guys,
Nick

[hack job]

i went with the blue thunder heads they are pretty dman good out of the box but wake up tons with a port and polish job. plus then there are a lot more exahust options open to you ( they use the chevy exhaust pattern) just my .02 ;)

[steelcomp]

IMO the best stock type 460 alum heads are the Ford CJ heads with the John Kasse ports and chambers. With VERY little port work (bowl blend and a little floor work) they can handle 800+. Don't know about cost, but I think Summitt sells em. They have to be competitive. The Trick Flows aren't bad either, with their raised floor exhaust. Don't worry about the flow numbers as far as Ford vs Chev exhaust port...they're no different. They started using the chevy ex because headers are cheaper and more choices for the chev. All good info above as far as torque and using studs, etc. Make sure you have a cam that'll work with the heads and intake, etc.

[Squirtcha?]

To the best of my knowledge the Trick Flows, Blue Thunders, and Ford Motorsports are all over $2000. The Ebrocks came in at $1600 completely setup with valves and springs good to .700 lift. (that was three seasons ago).
Since I knew my goal was only 500 hp and change, I figured anything else would be overkill for me.
Rumor mill has it that the CJs don't really shine until after 6000 rpm and I can't even spin that with 150 hp shot of nitrous.
What are your thoughts on that Ford guys?

[Squirtin Thunder]

Squirtcha?
Bigger shot of NO2 250hp maybe then.
Jim

[Squirtin Thunder]

Your Boat did sound good a CBBB.
Not bad for an old Ford !!!
Jim

[Squirtin Thunder]

BTW- Talked with Jack today and again you were the bench mark, Squirtcha?
Jim

[Squirtin Thunder]

Big Block Ford 815 ci

[Squirtcha?]

Man that hemi is sweet. I'd give my left goanie for that one.
If I'm a benchmark for anyone...............they need to build a taller bench.

[Squirtin Thunder]

Well maybe not a bench mark but a referance point. Like I told you before I want to do what Squirtch? is doing on the bottle without it and more. So I use you being the engines and set up speeds were similar.
Jim

[steelcomp]

Summit has the Trick Flows assembled for $1795

[Squirtcha?]

I think those are the new offers from Trick Flow. Those weren't available when I bought mine. All they had at the time were the A460 for a lot more money. I wonder how well those new ones work. I don't know of anybody that runs em yet. Have you heard anything about em? That's a nice price. They might be a better option depending on how well they work.
Trickflow heads (http://www.trickflow.com/media/pr/pdf/Newproduct_page1.pdf)

[GM Killer]

I run the Blue Thunders on my big motor and the Ford A429 CJ's on my other motors. The CJ's fully ported with a matching Vic Jr intake and a Holley 1050 pulls my 460 to 6400rpm, NO NOS, and a 'B' impellor. My BT's have a full race port as well and out flow a fully ported set of Dart 360's (I wont give my numbers). Both heads have been nice to work with and versatile with different intake and carb set ups.
In short, for the money, weight loss, power increase, and future power increases with additional porting, an aftermarket head is always the way to go. The same amount of money can be spent on a stock type head and all you end up with is a high dollar stock head that will not flow as good as the aftermarket head.

[hack job]

my blue thunders were 1600 bare ( no valves or any thing ) and then i put anther 700 in to port work. but like i said the reason i went this way is so i could run the chevy exhaust wiht my motor ( i have lightings and the adapter they sell is very restrictive) i have those adpater for sale if any one is intrested :D i have been told that the trick flows are for higher rpms and big cube motors that and with the a460 you have to run there manifold and gaskets. when i got the flow # s on those heads they were better for bigger lift cam .800" lift and what not. iam only at .700" lift.;)

[steelcomp]

I think those are the new offers from Trick Flow. Those weren't available when I bought mine. All they had at the time were the A460 for a lot more money. I wonder how well those new ones work. I don't know of anybody that runs em yet. Have you heard anything about em? That's a nice price. They might be a better option depending on how well they work.
Trickflow heads (http://www.trickflow.com/media/pr/pdf/Newproduct_page1.pdf)
Yes, these are new, and not like the A 460 head, more of a stock design like the Ford CJ or the Edelbrock. I know nothing about them, except I see they filled the bottom of the ex port. TF stuff is pretty well respected. Not a full race head, but probably good up to about 800 na hp.

[BigBoyToys]

I believe TopCat has a set of CJ heads for sale at a pretty good price if anyone needs them.

[FHI-prez]

I believe TopCat has a set of CJ heads for sale at a pretty good price if anyone needs them.
Well I sent TopCat a PM to inquire about the heads. :eat:
Nick

[Cs19]

I run the Blue Thunders on my big motor and the Ford A429 CJ's on my other motors. The CJ's fully ported with a matching Vic Jr intake and a Holley 1050 pulls my 460 to 6400rpm, NO NOS, and a 'B' impellor..
Hey GM, have you ran your boat yet? What did you turn for RPMS?

[LakesOnly]

...there is not a Ford 429/460 aluminum casting offered that uses the inferior chebby exhaust port. They use a chebby exhaust mounting flange. Hack Job has it right ("they use the chevy exhaust pattern") in his earlier post.
The chebby exhaust mounting flange enables these aftermarket Ford aluminum castings to have a port shape engineered that surpasses GM's designs in both flow and dyno readings.
LO

[Blown 472]

...there is not a Ford 429/460 aluminum casting offered that uses the inferior chebby exhaust port. They use a chebby exhaust mounting flange. Hack Job has it right in his earlier post.
The chebby exhaust mounting flange enables these aftermarket Ford aluminum castings to have a port shape engineered that surpasses GM's designs in both flow and dyno readings.
LO
Shhhhhhhh lakes, dont ruffle any feathers and get these chev boyzzzz worked up. :D :D

[FHI-prez]

I have a question, and trust me I'm not being a smartass here. I truly would like to know. I saw an earlier post in this thread that someone is turning a 460 @6400 rpm on a B impellor. Why would you run a bigblock that hard? Wouldn't you get the same performance and better engine life by stepping up to an A impeller? Or is the pump more efficient at higher rpm than it is at say around 5.5k rpm? Again, not questioning anyone's logic or experience, I just don't understand. :)
Nick