Best Heads for a 302

[GTStang]

Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on what the feel are the best heads for a 302 engine. Please try to give some facts for your choice like price, flow ratings, etc.., The reason, cause i said so isn't gonna cut it

[milktasd2000]

I have keep hearing that TrickFlow heads are supposed to be great. Everybody I see at websites on who own a 5.0 put them on. I will put what the Summit Racing catalog says about the heads:

61cc combustion chamber
2.02" intake/1.60"exhaust
.56" thick combustion chamber walls

Go to TrickFlow website and go to the 5.0 Registry and ask the people there.

[Blackbird01]

For a mild buildup, I think a set of GT40 heads would do just fine.
If you plan to get serious with the motor and want good flow #'s, get AFR. They're simply the best (in my opinion)...

[1995HondaCivic]

i believe my uncle has tsw aluminum heads on his 1989 saleen. they hold up pretty well for him. hes pushing 8 lbs of boost from a vortech s trim. the aftermarket heads are also a lot lighter.

[Blackbird01]

AFR also makes great heads.
In my opinion, they are better then Dart and TrickFlow

[1995HondaCivic]

sorry about the confusion, i meant TFS heads

[miker]

For a mild to moderate build up, use Ford's GT-40 kit with matching intake and one of the "303" series cams. If your going moderate to extreme and want to run a blower, use the Trickflows. FYI, they have their one intake manifold to match, you can get in natural (aluminum) or in black!

Makes me want to build an injection motor!

[SkylineUSA]

I have the GT40 TurboSwirls, very good head for the money.

As for the best head for a 302 is a catch 22. Actually, for any engine its a catch 22.

It all depends on what you want out of the engine. Like what was mentioned before it is the marriage between the intake, cam, head, compresion, timing events, and exhaust.

I can have a $3000 set of heads, but if I only have a cam that has a mild duration and lift, say 220/220 480/480 those heads are pointless.

What are you looking for? Most heads for 302s have had countless of hours of engineering behind them, and they work very well.

You can't go wrong with Edelbrock, TFS, AFR165, not 185's too big,FMS, Dart, World Product, and Canfields.

I would go

1. TFS Track
2. AFR 165
3. Edelbrock Performer RPM
4. Brodix
4. GT-40
5. Dart
6. World Product

Top 3 can be switch depending on what the rest of your set-up will be, but to me they are a little better engineered than the other 4.

If you are going all out race engine you can not beat Canfield or the TFS R series.

It has been a while since I have looked at numbers, but from off the cuff this is my thinking.

[Blackbird01]

90Notch...
I think you need to make an appearance to answer this question...

If you want a guy that KNOWS his Mustangs, HE is the guy to talk to!

[90notch]

ok, this is a real simple one.

For the street (going to work and back, and playing on the weekends) I would highly recommend Edelbrock performer heads, ford racing gt40x, or AFR 165cc. Stay away from TFS, they are shit. Dart/World seems to be runners up in the garbage contest. Holley makes a nice flowing head, but they like to blow valve stem seals constintly.

I have 3 nice combo's that I swear by.

Combo 1
Edelbrock 6037 heads, Performer Manifold, 1.6 roller rockers, e303 cam, 65mm TB, 75mm MAF and 24# injectors (this combo if tuned properly can make over 300 at the wheels)

Ford Racing GT40 (64cc) heads, Cobra intake, 1.6 roller rockers, e303 cam, 65mm tb, 75mm maf and 24# injectors (good for about 280 at the wheels)

My Balls out street combo

AFR 165's, Holley Intake, 70mm TB, 75mm Maf, b303 cam, 30# injectors (good for 350 at the rear wheels, but noticable loss in low rpm torque do to holleys gigantic intake)

[SkylineUSA]

Why do you think TFS are shit, if they are set-up correctly they are very good.

You really like the alphabet cams? I really want to change mine out, when I get a chance. For it is not nessassarily the power, but the way the car idles. I am looking for more like 216/222, lift of 500/510, lobe sep of 114.

I am going to do this when I change to an SQ.

[Blackbird01]

He doesn't like the heads because in a few different cases, the heads have been faulty. Ever seen a BRAND NEW block go "kaBOOM" when you start it for the first time? Not fun.

Also, aren't TFS heads 23 degree? Mustangs are 17 degree in the first place. Poor design concept to begin with....

[SkylineUSA]

The poor design inables it to out flow the others. As long as the heads are set-up correctly you will not have a problem with them. You can use GT-40P valve guide modifing kit on these heads and you will not burn the valve guides, or have any other problem associated with the so called poor design.

I have seen what you are talking about, right when summit took over there was a problem with crappy production, but that has been takin care of.

[90notch]

the TFS head is a cheap peice of shit. Look at the valves, the valve guides, the wierd ass angle. Then look at the spring seat... it ain't even hardened. Why go thru the trouble of making that head work, when you can get an AFR for a tad more and haul ass with no worries.

As for the cam, you want to chop... f303 is a nice chompy cam for the street. 512/512 286/286

[1995HondaCivic]

exactly how is TFS shit?