best head?

zoomin

Founding Member

Mar 14, 2000

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Toronto, Ontario

Jun 6, 2006

#1

• Jun 6, 2006

• #1

Hi all its been a long time since i been here but im gonna get started on my 2.3T project again and all i need for the engine to be complete is a nice ported and polished head. what stock 2.3l head is the best to get for this...i have a 88 2.3l n/a head in my garage but i heard that these dont flow the best out of the stock ones, so what should i try and find to put some money into?

thanks all
victor

 

Stinger

Founding Member

Jul 7, 2001

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Basehor (Kansas City), KS

Jun 6, 2006

#2

• Jun 6, 2006

• #2

A stock turbo head or the older oval port n/a head are the best to start with...

 

zoomin

Founding Member

Mar 14, 2000

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Toronto, Ontario

Jun 6, 2006

#3

• Jun 6, 2006

• #3

what years do the oval port heads come off? i have a head off an i believe 88 2.3L n/a.

Stinger, how you been, i remember when you first joined this site, and now your apparently pretty big in the 2.3T world...congrats, i might end up grabbing some parts off ya, lol.

thanks
victor

 

88stangmangt

Active Member

Nov 25, 2003

2,332

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48

Stafford,VA

Jun 6, 2006

#4

• Jun 6, 2006

• #4

you can check out my thread about my Bo-Port iron head i just got back.

 

zoomin

Founding Member

Mar 14, 2000

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Toronto, Ontario

Jun 6, 2006

#5

• Jun 6, 2006

• #5

i actually read that thread. that is a beautiful head but 1700 is a bit steep to drop on a head for me, i already have the big valves and a nice custom ground cam, all i need to get is the dual ti springs and then im gonna get a local machine shop to put the valve train in, but im going to get a buddy to do a nice port job on it before. shouldnt run me more then 400-500. but should i do all this to the 88 2.3 n/a head or is there a better stock ford head out there?

thanks
victor

 

Red_LX

I’m not much help unless you’re looking for ****!

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Morgantown, WV...where couches meet their doom

Jun 6, 2006

#6

• Jun 6, 2006

• #6

zoomin, there's a name I haven't seen in a long time, damn.

Anyway, I'm not sure how easy oval ports are to find, but a turbo D-port should suit you just fine. I have one on my car that I ported.

I wouldn't use a n/a head because they have a smaller heart shaped combustion chamber, turbos have a larger D-shaped chamber to keep compression lower.

 

zoomin

Founding Member

Mar 14, 2000

992

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Toronto, Ontario

Jun 6, 2006

#7

• Jun 6, 2006

• #7

Red: yeah its been a while, still keeping things in good order i see. how have you been?

and well i definately need to stay with whatever lowers compression as i have TRW's (not dished) so my ratio is going to be around 8.5 - 9 and thats no good for a turbo setup, so off i go to find a turbo head. also any feedback on the dual ti valve springs that engbldr sells on e-bay, i ordered my valves off him a looong time ago and he had great service, whats the quality like on the springs?

another Q now that im thing compression, are there any thicker headgaskets out there to drop my numbers a bit more? and what is better to get the ford gasket set or felpro...or anything else?

you guys are gonna have to bear with me as i been out of the 2.3T loop for a long 3 yrs so i gots some reading and asking to do.

thanks and its nice to be back
victor

 

Red_LX

I’m not much help unless you’re looking for ****!

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

5,896

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Morgantown, WV...where couches meet their doom

Jun 7, 2006

#8

• Jun 7, 2006

• #8

Oh I've been fine, just graduated from school so now I gotta find a job, one of my least favorite things to do...

I'm not sure about the ebay springs. I have some used Racer Walsh Stage 1 springs that I bought from a guy on turboford that I'm running.

I don't know about the head gaskets either, but there may be one out there. Is there any chance you could get a slight dish cut into your pistons?

As for head gaskets, I'm running a Felpro gasket with head studs and 16 psi. Some people swear by the 1035 Felpro and others use the Cometic. I don't know much about them though.

You may want to check over at turboford to get good answers to some of these questions.

 

88stangmangt

Active Member

Nov 25, 2003

2,332

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48

Stafford,VA

Jun 7, 2006

#9

• Jun 7, 2006

• #9

Red_LX said:

Oh I've been fine, just graduated from school so now I gotta find a job, one of my least favorite things to do...

I'm not sure about the ebay springs. I have some used Racer Walsh Stage 1 springs that I bought from a guy on turboford that I'm running.

I don't know about the head gaskets either, but there may be one out there. Is there any chance you could get a slight dish cut into your pistons?

As for head gaskets, I'm running a Felpro gasket with head studs and 16 psi. Some people swear by the 1035 Felpro and others use the Cometic. I don't know much about them though.

You may want to check over at turboford to get good answers to some of these questions.

Click to expand...

are you the guy to talk to about geting a custom title...like what you have above your avatar???i see some people that arnt mods running around with them anyway you can hook me up??

 

vristang

15 Year Member

Mar 31, 2005

4,933

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124

Seattle

Jun 7, 2006

#10

• Jun 7, 2006

• #10

I saw some round port turbo heads in a junk yard today on a tbird.

How do these heads compare to the D port heads?

I already have a set of D ports, but if the round ports will flow better, I may reconsider.

jason

 

B

BELL

Founding Member

Feb 21, 2002

722

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0

California

Jun 8, 2006

#11

• Jun 8, 2006

• #11

check out www.powerheads.com they are in california. they did my big valve head and porting for under about 900 bucks

 

Red_LX

I’m not much help unless you’re looking for ****!

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

5,896

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Morgantown, WV...where couches meet their doom

Jun 8, 2006

#12

• Jun 8, 2006

• #12

Unfortunately I can do no hooking-up of custom titles, that is all in the admin's hand. I'm just a moderator.

 

Stinger

Founding Member

Jul 7, 2001

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Basehor (Kansas City), KS

Jun 9, 2006

#13

• Jun 9, 2006

• #13

Zoomin, I'm doing alright. Times have certainly changed since you've been gone.

The Oval ports came off of the old non turbo engine from teh late 70's/early 80's. Your best bet is to stick with the turbo d port.

 

zoomin

Founding Member

Mar 14, 2000

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Toronto, Ontario

Jun 9, 2006

#14

• Jun 9, 2006

• #14

thanks guys...off to the JY and then the machine shop i go. i'll let you know about my progress.

stinger, got any input on those valve springs off ebay like these: http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-Ford-2-3-Dua...072372872QQcategoryZ33621QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
or the ones engnbldr sells? i might pick up a set.

thanks
victor

 

Red_LX

I’m not much help unless you’re looking for ****!

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

5,896

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129

Morgantown, WV...where couches meet their doom

Jun 9, 2006

#15

• Jun 9, 2006

• #15

Everyone is always asking about those ebay springs, I honestly know nothing about them. Might ask over on turboford, maybe somebody there has them.

 

Stinger

Founding Member

Jul 7, 2001

7,754

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Basehor (Kansas City), KS

Jun 10, 2006

#16

• Jun 10, 2006

• #16

The ones engnbldr sells are the ones TF had a group buy on...good springs from what I've heard.