Can you put AFR 185's on a Stock 302?

5o5speed

New Member

Aug 9, 2004

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Apr 14, 2005

#1

• Apr 14, 2005

• #1

Doing H/C/I and want to do it right the first time. Will eventually run a supercharger so I want the Holley Sytemax Intake w/ custom cam and AFR Heads. Would 185's be over-kill on a stock 5.0 motor no matter what cam and intake? Would they work at all? Won't the Holley/Custom Cam/AFR Heads make more power than say a Trickflow H/C/I kit?

 

bgjohnson

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Sep 1, 2002

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johnston,iowa

Apr 14, 2005

#2

• Apr 14, 2005

• #2

those heads will absolutely kill your low end like none other. you lil 302 will never flow enough air to make use of those heads unless it has a big blower of some sort. 165's would be a better all around head for your combo.

 

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!

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Jan 14, 2001

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Apr 14, 2005

#3

• Apr 14, 2005

• #3

1) the heads will NOT "kill your low end torque". I've seen quite a few graphs of afr 185's on 302/306 cars thats put the low end of smaller afr 165 heads to absolute shame. Its ALL in the combo

2) To get those inline valve 2.02 intake valve'd heads to fit on stock pistons is gonna require a well thought out cam.

3) Of course a afr 185/holley/custom cam combo will crush a the TFS combo.

 

Ranchero5.0

The Voice of Reason

Jan 1, 1999

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Hagerstown MD

Apr 14, 2005

#4

• Apr 14, 2005

• #4

I have to agree with Greeny, the intake and cam have much more to do with how an engine performs than the heads. If anything do as I did and get the 60cc heads to keep the compression up.

 

bgjohnson

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Sep 1, 2002

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johnston,iowa

Apr 14, 2005

#5

• Apr 14, 2005

• #5

with stock internals you do not need close to 250-300 CFM (can't remember the number exactly)on each head, it will never use that much. hell my 351 i'm building will be using either a 185 or 205. but your right, depends on the cam too.

 

28

New Member

Mar 30, 2005

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Apr 14, 2005

#6

• Apr 14, 2005

• #6

If your combo is right,do it to it.. but I'd think 165s would be way better for a 302/306...331/347,then 185s would be great.

 

T

tony91723

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Nov 30, 2004

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Apr 15, 2005

#7

• Apr 15, 2005

• #7

I've got AFr185's on my 306. I don't feel in loss of low end torque. I say go with the 185's now since you plan on s/c later on down the road, it's better to spend the money now on something you really want. Thers a guy on Corral that puts out crazy numbers on a 306 and 185's all motor. Check out AFR's website they did an article and compared the 165's and 185's on a 306. guess who put out more power? 185's!

 

G

goinbigger

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Apr 11, 2005

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Apr 15, 2005

#8

• Apr 15, 2005

• #8

What kind of cam would work well for a combo like that with a small combustion chamber to keep the compression up and the holley systemax? I'm guessing longtubes would help out also.

 

J

Jason@AFR

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Aug 9, 2004

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California

Apr 15, 2005

#9

• Apr 15, 2005

• #9

Just an FYI, you may end up needing to notch your factory pistons even if you left the stock cam in...alot of people dispute this fact and there are people out there running just fine without notching, we hear about them occasionally....when they miss a shift!


On sizing, if you WILL have a blower, then I agree the 185's would be best bet, but that doesn't mean you will be dissapointed with a set of 165's. They both have the same killer exhaust ports which will show there face on the blower more then the intake runner difference...

Jason

 

Rick 91GT

Mustang Master

Nov 29, 1999

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Apr 15, 2005

#10

• Apr 15, 2005

• #10

Go with the 58cc, the design on the chamber is more EFFICENT.

You will need to notch atleast the outside edges of the eyebrows to gain proper clearance, even with a stock cam. Too many guys measure valve clearance at the deepest part of the notches, not the outside where it WILL HIT when floated.

Go with a custom cam to maintain great drivabilty but yeild more usable power across the entire RPM range.

 

J

Jason@AFR

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Aug 9, 2004

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Apr 15, 2005

#11

• Apr 15, 2005

• #11

Rick 91GT said:

Go with the 58cc, the design on the chamber is more EFFICENT.

You will need to notch atleast the outside edges of the eyebrows to gain proper clearance, even with a stock cam. Too many guys measure valve clearance at the deepest part of the notches, not the outside where it WILL HIT when floated.

Go with a custom cam to maintain great drivabilty but yeild more usable power across the entire RPM range.

Click to expand...

100% agreed from start to finish