mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
Head Gasket Trouble - Pull Engine
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yeah, boy was I close to just going ahead and buttoning her up too. I was doubting myself and then I realized, man I know I am checking these clearances correctly. As I learned a little more about milling the e7te heads I quickly realized that without my blueprinting, it was very likely that one of the heads was milled a total of 50-60 thou and me checking my P2V clearances was confirming this. One head was ok(just barely) and the other head was not.
I am definitely a newbie, but sometimes I need to trust myself a little more.
I am definitely a newbie, but sometimes I need to trust myself a little more.
something more fun. i started looking at the classifieds on here for gt40p heads and etc. i have decided that i don't ever want a non-blueprinted part and buying a used set of heads is just that. so i am currently researching aluminum heads(fully assembled), roller rockers, and hardened push rods.
my thoughts are that i want to find a combination that will work with my stock pistons(already installed and ready), my stock intake, and my stock cam.
check out this article, i couldn't believe it, Flo-tek is the machine shop i was using for a while!!!!!!! I see these heads every time I walk in the place!!!
Six Budget Ford Heads That Work - Car Craft Magazine
They put out these numbers, bench tested and true. I will be calling them in the morning to start discussing their heads and what it will take to get them into my car.
thats my thoughts currently.
my thoughts are that i want to find a combination that will work with my stock pistons(already installed and ready), my stock intake, and my stock cam.
check out this article, i couldn't believe it, Flo-tek is the machine shop i was using for a while!!!!!!! I see these heads every time I walk in the place!!!
Six Budget Ford Heads That Work - Car Craft Magazine
They put out these numbers, bench tested and true. I will be calling them in the morning to start discussing their heads and what it will take to get them into my car.
thats my thoughts currently.
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
If you have inline pistons, I would highly recommend a set of AFR 165 or if you flycut the pistons AFR 185 heads.
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
yep,. that;s them. They also make pistion that are specific for TW heads with different flycuts
Wedge heads will work fine with your stock pistons, theyll even have more room than an afr or other inline head, hence tge 2.02 valve they come with. You'll choke any set of aftermarket heads with a stock intake, but it will bolt up until you find something better (explorer intakes are good and can be had for not much $$$).
I just got off the phone with the machine shop that builds these aluminum heads. They were designed after the Ford Racing GT40X and more specifically for the ford mustang 1985-1995(give or take a few years). They are going to work with my factory cam, factory pistons, and MAC headers. They will NOT work with my factory intake manifold.
So. Here is my thoughts.
1. Cylinder Heads(fully assembled)
2. Rocker Arms of some kind
3. Hardened Push Rods(he says most of the time you can keep your stock push rods but they recommend hardened push rods because they can come in contact with brackets.
4. New intake manifold
So now I am currently researching in I only need a lower intake(I am thinking just a used explorer intake) or if I need upper and lower. Also, if I get a new upper intake, I am trying to figure out if I need a new throttle body as well.
Then, I am also trying to figure out if I need anything else that I may have missed. What do you guys think?
I am going with these local cylinder heads. They have been selling them for over 7yr now with tried and true ratings. Check out the article again if you haven't already. It is a very expensive testing done on 6 different SBF cylinder heads and my local town is #6 with very good numbers not far behind the Trick Flow and AFR's. I was impressed.
Again they are the Flo-Tek cylinder heads.
Six Budget Ford Heads That Work - Car Craft Magazine
So. Here is my thoughts.
1. Cylinder Heads(fully assembled)
2. Rocker Arms of some kind
3. Hardened Push Rods(he says most of the time you can keep your stock push rods but they recommend hardened push rods because they can come in contact with brackets.
4. New intake manifold
So now I am currently researching in I only need a lower intake(I am thinking just a used explorer intake) or if I need upper and lower. Also, if I get a new upper intake, I am trying to figure out if I need a new throttle body as well.
Then, I am also trying to figure out if I need anything else that I may have missed. What do you guys think?
I am going with these local cylinder heads. They have been selling them for over 7yr now with tried and true ratings. Check out the article again if you haven't already. It is a very expensive testing done on 6 different SBF cylinder heads and my local town is #6 with very good numbers not far behind the Trick Flow and AFR's. I was impressed.
Again they are the Flo-Tek cylinder heads.
Six Budget Ford Heads That Work - Car Craft Magazine
just like that tv show, take everything in the mags with a grain of salt, their income (and sometimes therefore test results and recommendations) is based on the biggest financial backer, and that is NEVER the reader.
also remember that most of these bargain-basement priced components are cheap chinese copys of a decent-to-good american part (professional products for example, often copys edelbrock parts, and poorly at that). those flo-tek heads are just that, a chinese copy of the frpp gt-40x.
basically, if youre stuck on keeping the pedestals, stick with either a gt40-p (right out of the junkyard is fine, just upgrade springs and be done), original gt-40x, or afr165. and hell, if you were close, i'd give you my pair of original e7's that i know havent been touched.
if you're changing intakes, you'll need both upper and lower, the bolt patterns are different on all of em. again, explorer stuff is CHEAP and works very well (same as cobra and gt40, the upper looks different but flows near identical between the three, lower is same casting other than some year-to-year differences).
also remember that most of these bargain-basement priced components are cheap chinese copys of a decent-to-good american part (professional products for example, often copys edelbrock parts, and poorly at that). those flo-tek heads are just that, a chinese copy of the frpp gt-40x.
basically, if youre stuck on keeping the pedestals, stick with either a gt40-p (right out of the junkyard is fine, just upgrade springs and be done), original gt-40x, or afr165. and hell, if you were close, i'd give you my pair of original e7's that i know havent been touched.
if you're changing intakes, you'll need both upper and lower, the bolt patterns are different on all of em. again, explorer stuff is CHEAP and works very well (same as cobra and gt40, the upper looks different but flows near identical between the three, lower is same casting other than some year-to-year differences).
so tell me what can be bad with Chinese cast aluminum? Ford uses chinese suspension parts in all their new vehicles, i have a friend in the industry who deals with their suppliers.
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
Not to sound harsh. You came here and asked for advice and screwed up on your first set of heads being a newb. Buying cheap chinese made aluminum heads will be your second mistake but it's your money. Your already made up your mind so I'm not going to waste my time other than to say, think about why TW and AFR cost over $1000 for their alum heads and Chinese ones sell for $750. Good Luck to you.
Haven't made up my mind yet. I hear ya.
Check it out, just found a great review from a machinist that bought these heads.
Floo Tek 5.0X heads for those that would like to view them - Ford Mustang Forums : Corral.net Mustang Forum
Check it out, just found a great review from a machinist that bought these heads.
Floo Tek 5.0X heads for those that would like to view them - Ford Mustang Forums : Corral.net Mustang Forum
And here is a little more review with results. Both these are from the same guy.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQBMPYoALf8
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmWHzcgpImY
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQBMPYoALf8
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmWHzcgpImY
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
Go back and read what four of the best in the business Buddy Rawls, Tom Moss, Woody, and Ed Curtis said about those heads in the post you are using to brag about these heads.
Let us know how they work out for you.
Let us know how they work out for you.
I'm with everybody else on the "heads" advise. Buy some tfs heads and be done! They will "grow" with you and offer a great package with quality parts to start with. Later if you ever upgrade the shortblock(and boost levels) you can always port them to flow serious numbers. They do cost an extra 4-500$ but money well spent. I'm sure the flo tek heads flow plenty of air for your present motor but I'm not sure on quality of components/machining etc. I know it's hard to justify oneself to spend extra money sometimes but if you do purchase the trick flows you won't be disappointed. Just my .02 and sorry your ported heads didn't work out for you. You put some quality time and effort in them.
notice how much is mentioned about them needing work to even to perform to level of what the were made to copy, it seriously is another 3-400 bucks worth of porting that needs to be done, assuming that the assembly is good to begin with (procomps have a HUGE problem with this). much more worth it to go to the junker and grab the whole topend off an explorer for $100-200, then put in a $100 spring kit. even more worth it to start with one of the more popular aluminum aftermarket heads, and if you know and trust the seller, a good used or nib set can be had for the same price as the imports.
I'm looking at the TW 170's right now and I notice they have the 2.02 intake valves. That's not gonna clear my stock pistons are they?
Forged pistons with valve reliefs.
Forged pistons with valve reliefs.
Those work perfect, just don't go excessive with the cam. Everyone and their mother runs tfs heads without issue.
The tfs heads actually have more ptv clearance than a standard inline valve head(AFR for example). With a stock cam you'll have miles of clearance. They sell the tfs top end kit with their tfs1 cam which is way more aggressive than your stocker(without an issue).
