Engine Heads

ace940

Member
Oct 16, 2011
87
1
17
what kind of money would i be looking at with a comparison of gt40 heads of a ford explorer and getting them reworked or a set of Edelbrock heads with roller rockers. and what else would i need to do other than prolly different pushrods , intake manifold, gaskets and maybe better bolts.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


port match the lower intake to the heads you pick (for better results).

The edelbrock heads depend on what you get really, but typically it's 45 t0 60 rwhp depending on supporting mods I believe.
The Gt40 are good for upto 30 to 40 horsepower. 25 being the lowest really. The heads with port work and springs MAX 600 to 700 horsepower, that price depends on how much you pick up your heads for. I wouldn't pay more than 300 for a pair of heads(gt40), and they better be good.

So it depends on if you're looking for price and if you want mild performance or performance.
 
port match the lower intake to the heads you pick (for better results).

The edelbrock heads depend on what you get really, but typically it's 45 t0 60 rwhp depending on supporting mods I believe.
The Gt40 are good for upto 30 to 40 horsepower. 25 being the lowest really. The heads with port work and springs MAX 600 to 700 horsepower, that price depends on how much you pick up your heads for. I wouldn't pay more than 300 for a pair of heads(gt40), and they better be good.

So it depends on if you're looking for price and if you want mild performance or performance.

Are you saying $300 for GT40 or GT40P? I was about to drop $600 on a set of GT40s that a local machine shop has with oversize valves.
 
Are you saying $300 for GT40 or GT40P? I was about to drop $600 on a set of GT40s that a local machine shop has with oversize valves.
300 max for unported, unworked, original, pulled straight from the explorer, heads.
If they're ported and they replaced the springs (the gt40 had good springs, the gt40p had crappy springs, but it wouldn't hurt to replace them either way) then 600 is about usual for the price.

So yeah thats a decent to good price for the ported heads.w
 
would i need custom length pushrods? and would i need to get it resurfaced? or will it be fine if the engine never blew a head gasket this is if i used the gt40 p heads. i would probably buy better springs and port them myself
 
http://forums.corral.net/forums/5-0...-size-pushrods-everyone-using-gt40-heads.html
No idea(I don't feel like searching to hard for the info) seems people have used stock push rods
Remember when reading those posts about the 93 cobras though that they have different pushrod lengths I believe, because of the different camshaft, but they do come stock with gt40 heads.

and the rest are also foxbody 5.0s, but pushrod length should be the same.

There has been people who've bought gt40 heads that were pretty fresh and just put them on, so if it looks good to you, then you won't need it resurfaced. That was something I was curious about a bit ago, so it's a yes or no answer.

remember gt40p needs special headers because of the angle of the spark plug, so it's a bit more expensive than the gt40 heads for this reason. Don't skip out on the better springs if you're using gt40p heads.
 
whats the difference between the gt40 and gt40p heads? which cars/ trucks had which
and a guy at school says he has a pair i could buy for like 100$ i havent seen them but he says they have springs and valves. would i be able to use the rockers that are already on my car?
 
Gt40 and Gt40p both came on ford explorers and 93-95 Cobra mustangs.

The Gt40 heads are found on I believe 96-97 Ford Explorers
Gt40p are on some later year 97 Ford Explorers and any year after that up until 2001 IIRC.

The Gt40 is the preferred versus the gt40p, supposedly the gt40ps are slightly slightly slightly miniscally better than the gt40 heads. But in the grand scheme of choice, the gt40 is better because of ease of install.

Gt40ps are harder to install in a sense because they have a revised spark plug angle meaning you have to buy new headers meant for gt40p heads so you can use them. Another down side to gt40ps are weaker springs.
Gt40 heads are direct bolt on, no special spark plug angle, no headers, no nothing.
 
I hate to make recommendations, but for what you are already paying, you might want to just get some Thumper E7s. He has proven combos, and you're going to end up with more power than a GT40 head with a bigger valve. I really don't understand why anyone would put a bigger valve in GT40 head in the first place. Most of those stock style heads work fine with a stock length pushrod unless they have been milled. Just put a stock pushrod in there and check it. It will most likely come out right anyway.

Kurt
 
I hate to make recommendations, but for what you are already paying, you might want to just get some Thumper E7s. He has proven combos, and you're going to end up with more power than a GT40 head with a bigger valve. I really don't understand why anyone would put a bigger valve in GT40 head in the first place. Most of those stock style heads work fine with a stock length pushrod unless they have been milled. Just put a stock pushrod in there and check it. It will most likely come out right anyway.

Kurt
I once thought about a set of thumper e7's but they run $800. summit has the trick flow track heat running $1098. More power, lighter, $300 more, oh and new. If the thumpers were in the $500 range they would be a better deal. Oh ok well thumpers are $695 plus $100 core charge, but by the time you figure in shipping those dudes 2 ways that $100's prob long gone.
 
It's $800 with the cam I believe. There's more than just money in there. I just don't see the point in going through all the work to put on GT40 heads. There is a huge gap in performance between a stock GT40 head, and a thumper E7. If I happened upon a free set of GT40 heads, to me it wouldn't be worth the cost of the gaskets and the time to put them on a car.

Kurt
 
It's $800 with the cam I believe. There's more than just money in there. I just don't see the point in going through all the work to put on GT40 heads. There is a huge gap in performance between a stock GT40 head, and a thumper E7. If I happened upon a free set of GT40 heads, to me it wouldn't be worth the cost of the gaskets and the time to put them on a car.

Kurt
Nope, w cam you're looking at $1100
Thumper Heads and Cam combo #1 : Thumper Ported E7s (219/155 cfm)
  • Vassco springs, moley retainers and keepers
  • For cams to .600 lift
  • Double roller timing chain and gear set w/9 position key way
  • FMS "E" ( for AOD cars), "B" , or TFS1 cam
  • Instructions on installation and Cam phasing for the best power and performance for you application
  • Proven 12 sec combination
  • $1090.00 + 100.00 refundable core charge**
I'm not arguing that gt40 heads are worth the money either but the thumpers are out of line as far as price goes as well
 
I just checked on Summit. It's amazing how cheap those Trick Flow 170 heads are now.

Kurt
yeah I know huh. Do you think those are sale price or is that what they're running now? Latemodel has the track heats for a little more at $1299. I can't imagine "thumper" is selling too many of his heads these days at those prices, "but that's just me" ;)
 
He's been doing pretty well. Most experienced engine builders never run an out of the box head. You're honestly looking at about the same power to the wheels with an out of the box TF170cc and a Thumper E7. The rock bottom TW170cc head that they are selling at Summit is an assembled unfinished casting. Don't get my wrong, the TW170 is a much better head, but I would have my engine builder do finishing work to it before I put in on one of my engines. I actually prefer to buy bare castings if I can find them. That way I can pick the valves I want, and match the springs to the cam I'm going to run. By the time I had the Trick Flows the way I wanted them it would be a little over $1500 even with the rock bottom prices they are selling before, and that's assuming I used the springs that came on the head. That's about double what a Thumper head goes for.

Kurt
 
He's been doing pretty well. Most experienced engine builders never run an out of the box head. You're honestly looking at about the same power to the wheels with an out of the box TF170cc and a Thumper E7. Thumper head goes for.

Kurt
I've read posts where people dynoed their cars after thumpers and if memory serves most were between 240-260 rwhp, not too bad but it seems like most of the trick flow cars dynoed around 280-300 at the tire. But I guess it could be due to the fellas running the trick's had more money to throw at the car so they had better combo of head, intake, bolt ons, etc.
 
That sounds about right. There are some thumper head cars running 300 to the wheels, but I wouldn't expect that. Most of them are running a ton of compression.

Kurt