Am i better off with a Stroker kit or alum. heads?

bloopbloob · May 15, 2008

k well its looking like i'm getting my engine rebuilt.... SO i want more hp than what i had before. so my question is should i stroke to 331 or 347 (which one, and why?) and leave the heads for now, or just stay 302 or 306 and get a set of trickflows put on. Apparently it will cost $420 just to go over my old heads and check everything + 3 angle job (old heads have already been ported, but not sure to what extent), so i'm thinking i should just not go stroker, and spend an extra $800 on top of the $420 i'd be spending on the stock heads, and get some good aftermarket alum. heads? i've always wanted a 331 or 347, but a stroker AND heads are not in the budget right now...... i just know know its the perfect time to stroke it , but i can't do both, and i think the heads would be a much better hp/$ decision. without new heads, would the stroker even be able to breathe?

also, one guy i talked to said that TW street heat heads will mean i need to notch my pistons so they don't hit valves. i told him i've never heard of this with those heads..... am i right?

NIKwoaC · May 15, 2008

If you're pulling the motor to rebuild it, put a stroker kit in it while you have it out. You can always put heads on it later without pulling the motor.

That being said, you'll want different heads for the 302 than you would for a 331 or 347, so buy and build for what you plan to do in the future.

I'd say go stroker first, it seems the most logical, even if you won't see all the performance until you cough up the dough for the better heads.

woodyy24 · May 15, 2008

do a 327 stroker kit, no machining required.

bloopbloob · May 15, 2008

what kind of machining needs to be done with the 331 and 347? never paid much attention to stroker threads since i didn't have one, but now its a possibility, so trying to learn what i need to know quickly before i make a decision. i'm gonna be spending over $3000 for just a rebuild, so i'd rather spend an extra grand and get something better while i'm at it.... if i go stroker, i may be waiting a year or two for heads, maybe more! i worry that a stroker with stock heads will just be disappointing. i'm a starving student, don't even have a job right now, but this car is my only DD, and i need it back on the road, but don't want to throw money away just to take it back to stock...... i just hate to be spending $420 on stock heads, which have already been ported when i can get good aftermarkets for a little over a grand. just seems like such a waste.

woodyy24 · May 15, 2008

for a 331 or 347 you have to have the cylinders bored and clearanced. 327 you dont have to. but with your situation id say go for some aluminum heads. AFRs or twisted wedges.

95BlueStallion · May 15, 2008

I would do the stroker kit. Engine will be out and rebuilt anyway, might as well. Heads go on easy later.

bloopbloob · May 15, 2008

ok so here's another option i have now i guess. a local shop saw my ad on a local forum, they have a new 347, ready to go already, here's what they sent me:

The 347 is,
stock block bored .030"
Scat 9000 new crank
Scat I beam rods with ARP cap screws
Kieth Black hyper. pistons
Arp main studs
Clevite bearings
Moly rings
Screw in frost plugs
Machined, Blueprinted, Balanced, Assembled
Comes with Balancer and Flexplate
This is NOT a "jobber" rebuild, its a performance motor.

Shortblock is $2600+gst

I have a set of TFS heads coming in mid June that are only 10,000km's old and come with rockers. We can prolly get that stuff at a fair price.

i think this sounds pretty reasonable if you ask me! it'll cost very close to that just to rebuild mine to stock, but i'll have my stock heads gone over for about that price. what do you guys think? how much more on top of that 2600 do you think its gonna cost to have it running? good deal? or pass on this? (keep in mind this is canada, and 5.0 anything is still a lot more $$$ up here than in the states...)

S&B · May 15, 2008

sounds good, hyper pistons wont help you if your looking to put boost on top of the motor, but it sounds like a reasonable price, i'd make fun of your currancy but its worth more than ours now

bloopbloob · May 15, 2008

S&B said:
sounds good, hyper pistons wont help you if your looking to put boost on top of the motor, but it sounds like a reasonable price, i'd make fun of your currancy but its worth more than ours now

ya i'd like to keep with the forged like i have now, because modding never ends and i know one day i will be heading to forced induction. but i need an engine. and even though our money is at about par now, its still much cheaper from the states. even when it was .80c on the US $1, it was still much cheaper, so now its an even better deal to buy from the U.S., but shipping an engine is def. not cheaper....

so my next question is, what all extra will i have to buy to get this engine running? is this basically just an assembled block? i guess i can transfer most of my stuff, but what will i need thats different? i'm guessing i should get new heads and intake, but what else? injectors i'm guessing...? will i need a bigger fuel pump? timing chain, oil pump, water pump? stuff like that? just trying to figure out how much more this will end up costing over a rebuild by the time its running....

Aliate X · May 15, 2008

youll have much more fun with aluminum heads

MikeROD16 · May 16, 2008

i say go for heads. not ony are they MUCH easier to install, you can get it done yourself. If you get nice AFR heads, expect an nice increase in performance. My friend put Edelbrock Victor Jr. heads and it was a pretty damn good increase. but by now he is already running 12's in the 1/4 with stock block. so i cant imagine how it would be with some AFR's.

Cobra912 · May 16, 2008

also the cylinder walls will need to be notched for the rods..

AND save yourself some money in the long run......do NOT buy used heads. It's always "oh they were run for 1000 miles, like new" ....bs......hard 1000 miles and it'll cost ya more to have them machined and rebuilt.

Cobra912 · May 16, 2008

Oh and dude I'm in Canada too. It cost me a budget 3200 grand for a 331 with eagle crank, srp pistons, and srp rods, main stud girdle, edelbrock aluminum heads. I did it as CHEAP as possible!!!!!!!

67coupe · May 16, 2008

What was wrong with your original motor? I never saw the conclusion to your noise issue.

If your noise was from the bottom end and the heads are fine. I would buy the stroker and reuse stock heads until you can afford to upgrade. Sure, your setup won't be optimal, but you will definitely pick up torque across the rpm range.

If the bottom end was fine, and the problem was with the heads, I'd upgrade the heads now.

Hope this helps.

woodyy24 · May 16, 2008

Cobra912 said:
AND save yourself some money in the long run......do NOT buy used heads. It's always "oh they were run for 1000 miles, like new" ....bs......hard 1000 miles and it'll cost ya more to have them machined and rebuilt.

i wouldnt say that, i got my heads used off a guy on here. he had em checked and milled before he sold em tho. still cheaper than buying new ones, and mine were fully ported

5spd GT · May 16, 2008

Most 331's do not have to be clearanced. The only difference between the 327 and 331, is a .030" larger diameter bore.

All engines, either a 302 or a 347 need to be machined when being put together.

I would do a stroker, and then open it up later to breathe so you can then match the parts to the increased CID.

A stroker kit may cost similar to some of the cheap aluminum heads, but do not forget machine work, balance, and assembly, along with new balancer and flywheel for the better imbalances.

Foxfan88 · May 17, 2008

have you considered building the engine yourself. its easy and fun and a great opportunity to learn and you will save alot of cash.

90lxcoupe · May 17, 2008

Foxfan88 said:
have you considered building the engine yourself. its easy and fun and a great opportunity to learn and you will save alot of cash.

this seems like a good idea but i would leave assembling to the professionals, if you want to put a motor together on your own its going to cost you around $500 in some decent tools(depth guages, micrometers, calpers, etc...) and if you have the tolerances off by even a couple of thousandths your bearing wear is going to be seriously compromised.

BlooDReigN · May 17, 2008

Go with a 347 stroker. It won't make as much power as a 302 with aluminum heads, but in another year or two you can put aluminum heads on it and makes 340 at the wheels and then add forced induction too

Or just make it a high compression 347 and have lots of fun even without forced induction.

Am i better off with a Stroker kit or alum. heads?

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