Heads

[importeater5_0]

my engine has 130k on it, and i want to buy a new engine but im not even close to having enough money for it yet, and summer is coming and i would like to have my car nice and quick for summer. i was wondering if i bought nice sexy heads for my engine, would that be the death of it, or would it be able to take the heads, my engine runs pretty good now, i dont think it burns any oil or anything, but after summer i would probably have enough money to buy the rest of the engineso i would swap the new heads onto the rest of the new engine. would this be a smart move or no?

[tturnpaw]

Originally Posted by importeater5_0

my engine has 130k on it, and i want to buy a new engine but im not even close to having enough money for it yet, and summer is coming and i would like to have my car nice and quick for summer. i was wondering if i bought nice sexy heads for my engine, would that be the death of it, or would it be able to take the heads, my engine runs pretty good now, i dont think it burns any oil or anything, but after summer i would probably have enough money to buy the rest of the engineso i would swap the new heads onto the rest of the new engine. would this be a smart move or no?

Its a lot of work, seriously. Its not fun working in the space either. So you have to REALLY love cars to be able to accomplish this. It wouldnt kill the motor. It would give it some power also. Mileage matters most if they are city driven, or freeway driven. When you buy the new heads it will take a while to do the swap, and money. You have to buy the heads and gaskets, and then do it yourself or pay for labor. Id save them for the next engine you get. Its just trouble all the way.

[silverstangs]

Save the money for a complete long block, that is much much easier in the long run.

[importeater5_0]

it is but the summer is coming and im too damn impatient. i think ima buy a cheap pair of gt40 heads for like 3-4 hundred for the summer just to hold me off, and ill get a new intake that i can swap when i get the new engine.

[silverstangs]

Well if your gonna do the heads, you might as well throw in the Cam and Roller rockers....

[importeater5_0]

yea, ima probly buy heads cam and roller rockers(maybe some strngthened pushrods)and do that all at once, then save and get a new intake. any1 know where i can find a good set of gt40 heads? besides ebay

[tturnpaw]

Originally Posted by importeater5_0

yea, ima probly buy heads cam and roller rockers(maybe some strngthened pushrods)and do that all at once, then save and get a new intake. any1 know where i can find a good set of gt40 heads? besides ebay

I dunno about GT40s i picked some off of a buddy o mine 4 $200. But its really not that necessary to get the strengthened push rods. its mostly overkill, but its your call. get some ford racing roller rockers and cam to match, and you will be satisfied.

[importeater5_0]

how bout the holley systemaxII system? that looks pretty nice, i might just get that.

[Rod&Custom]

But its really not that necessary to get the strengthened push rods. its mostly overkill

Uhhh, I have seen some pretty gnarly pushrods!

[tturnpaw]

Originally Posted by Rod&Custom

Uhhh, I have seen some pretty gnarly pushrods!

Whats that got 2 do with a head upgrade and cam with rockers? i doubt he needs them. just trying 2 save money but ok since hes rich. the only time i have seen bent pushrods was with a huge compression motor and no oil and when the thing was shifted into reverse at 35mph. other than that no issues with push rods. Even with 500hp and 11:1 compression.

[zagrot]

i really wasn't going to post on this one untill i saw the following statement:

Originally Posted by tturnpaw

the only time i have seen bent pushrods was with a huge compression motor and no oil and when the thing was shifted into reverse at 35mph.

that just seems like too many things went wrong at once.

over-building results in fewer repairs, but then again if a push rod collapses there is little danger of a valve hitting a piston, so you'll be "safe" either way. stronger push rods sound like a good idea if you plan to increase the rocker ratio or install a cam with faster valve lift than the origional.

[Rod&Custom]

I have seen bent pushrods in nearly stock SBC's. All you need is a really heavy foot on a few burnouts and your there. Always rebuild with strengthened pushrods(most are anyway). They are good security and definitely won't break your budget.

[SkylineUSA]

Originally Posted by Rod&Custom

I have seen bent pushrods in nearly stock SBC's. All you need is a really heavy foot on a few burnouts and your there. Always rebuild with strengthened pushrods(most are anyway). They are good security and definitely won't break your budget.

Too true

[importeater5_0]

ok so ill probly get the rods(they aint that expensive), and i think im goin with trick flow heads, holley intake,1.7 roller rockers, im not sure what cam yet, maybe a flickflow to match heads, or a e303, damn im excited.

[tturnpaw]

Originally Posted by Rod&Custom

I have seen bent pushrods in nearly stock SBC's. All you need is a really heavy foot on a few burnouts and your there. Always rebuild with strengthened pushrods(most are anyway). They are good security and definitely won't break your budget.

Its a good idea, like any other brand new part is. But it adds up after a while of getting new parts. Ive got a heavy foot and ive done my share of burnouts and the only thing ive managed to do is stretch timing chains. All that stuff didnt go wrong at once. The compression was on a 351C, the reverse was on a SBC,and ive seen people do it when they overrev. But this isnt a rebuild. he was talkin about for the short run. they arent expensive, they just do it easily. oh and this isnt a chevy engine, since ive seen bent pushrods in many chevys! Maybe they have a tendency to do that, but i wouldnt know since i am a ford guy.