Edelbrock Clev heads vs stock 4v

BadAzzMach1

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Oct 4, 2005

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Oct 4, 2005

#1

• Oct 4, 2005

• #1

I dont know if i should spend the dough on these new edelbrock heads or not, Ive got my stock 351C 4v's and tho flow more than the alum heads if im correct? Should i go with a port and polish on the stocks? has anyone done this and had some good results? Or is the edelbrock path the way to go for a good street weekend car.

 

L

lookout4mepart2

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Oct 5, 2005

#2

• Oct 5, 2005

• #2

If you want more rpm go with the stock heads becuse they have big valves more air travels faster and port&polish them

but if you want low end power go with the new 2v heads

My set up i have the 4v heads and i port&polished them my self saved some big bucks the asked about 500$ for them
i go between the 3000 to 8000rpm range
and it gets pretty powerful up in that range
Its your call man \

Speed 4v's
Faster start offs 2v's

 

65ShelbyClone

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Sep 9, 2000

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Oct 5, 2005

#3

• Oct 5, 2005

• #3

Unless your 4vs are getting tired and/or you really want to cut 100 lbs off the front of your car, then the cheapest and most practical choice would be to keep what you have. I believe the Edelbrocks are based on the Australian Cleveland heads and are the best compromise between heaps of power and driveability. Newer port designs also means flowing the same or more as old, but with smaller ports and valves for better torque.

 

Hack

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Mar 23, 2004

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#4

• Oct 5, 2005

• #4

If you want to buy aluminum heads consider CHI or AFD over Edelbrock. These are guys that have been building 351C heads for a number of years.

 

BadAzzMach1

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#5

• Oct 5, 2005

• #5

Ok so i really would love to save a bunch of Ca$h on the stock heads with a port and polish.. was doing it yourself that hard? Ive got a T5 sitting in the garage i should thro in there with some 4.10s... maybe then ill get some smokey burnouts plus my top end hi rpm speed... No problems around 8k rpm?

 

65ShelbyClone

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Antelope Valley, SoCal

Oct 5, 2005

#6

• Oct 5, 2005

• #6

You dont even really need to touch the 4V heads. Unless you have a really high power and high rpm, the porting wont really benefit you. If you hit them mildly with a die grinder and 60-80 grit cartridge rolls, you could at least smooth out the casting roughness. For 8000rpm, you'll want to do some oiling mods to your Cleveland. Also, forget the T5 trans behind anything but a mild to moderate 302. That 351 will break it for sure unless you get the G-Force internals(same cost as a Tremec 3550).

 

M

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

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#7

• Oct 5, 2005

• #7

Why would you port heads that are already too big for street use? If anything, restrict them to get some torque. There is a company that makes torque plates for this very reason.

 

4MuscleMachines

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Jul 20, 2005

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Oct 5, 2005

#8

• Oct 5, 2005

• #8

www.mpgheads.com

They sell the 351C torque plates

 

BadAzzMach1

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Oct 5, 2005

#9

• Oct 5, 2005

• #9

Those port plates look like a pretty good deal... My understanding is they will flow more and produce more torque? Sounds good for a $90 Bolt on. Anyone run these? Also, im running a worn C6, a T5 wont hold up with my Clev?

 

MustangMatt1966

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#10

• Oct 5, 2005

• #10

how much horsepower you are making ? then we can see if the t-5 would hold up

 

BadAzzMach1

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#11

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without hitting the dyno im estimated about 375 at the fly..

 

MustangMatt1966

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#12

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yea, that is pushing the limits of the t5

 

S

Sicarius428

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Jan 6, 2004

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#13

• Oct 6, 2005

• #13

T5 won't hold up to anything beyond a mild 302. I may be pushing around 300 to the tires on my 5.0 and my tranny is starting to have issues as it is. Rebuild the C6 or opt for a beafier 5 speed.
Kevin

 

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

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Oct 6, 2005

#14

• Oct 6, 2005

• #14

Some fun head info from the network 54 forum

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=119419&messageid=1123537881

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=119419&messageid=1121608706

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=119419&messageid=1115490975

 

ddonaca351

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Dec 1, 2002

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Camas Washington

Oct 7, 2005

#15

• Oct 7, 2005

• #15

BadAzzMach1 said:

Those port plates look like a pretty good deal... My understanding is they will flow more and produce more torque? Sounds good for a $90 Bolt on. Anyone run these? Also, im running a worn C6, a T5 wont hold up with my Clev?

Click to expand...

IMHO....
1. get the stinger exhaust port plates from MPG, I run them and they do a nice job of smoothing out the horible short side radius (the real killer to 4v flow).

2. Port and pollish the stockers, youll find the intakes have a huge ledge below the seat that needs to go, about .1-.12 all the way around. (thats why they wont flow untill the valve is .300 off the seat...) Also unshroud the Intake and exhaust inside the chamber, and blend the roof down to the level of the seat, these shortcomings kill the flow on about 30% of the intake valve, and almost 50% of the exhaust (again killing flow at low lifts i.e. = killing your low rpm torque).

3. Use a new edelbrock manifold thats port matched, or run a Blue Thunder 4145 dual plane. Either one will make good torque ANNNNDDD good horsepower.

Again just .02 from a fellow 70 "M" code owner.

Dave-


PS: I think the edelbrock heads are real nice, but if you have the 4vs you can save $1600 (they are 800 ea complete) by running the stockers. $1600 can buy alott of other parts....

Just as an FYI, one intake shootout I read, on a 377C with the Blue Thunder intake and a healthy street/strip cam (23x/24x @ .050)made 490hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. PLENTY respectable for iron heads and a dual plane intake.... (max rpm was 6500)

Other intakes were alloy boss351 stock, offenhausen, weiand, edel torquer. BT outperformed all under the curve.

 

ddonaca351

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#16

• Oct 7, 2005

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Oh, my 5.0 spit the t5 out before it ever got to 300 at the wheels. The TREMEC seems to work fine...

DD

 

BadAzzMach1

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Oct 4, 2005

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Oct 7, 2005

#17

• Oct 7, 2005

• #17

OK.. so my take on heads have for sure changed.. I want to keep the stockers and possibly pick up a pair of stinger port plates, My intake sounds like it needs to go, I was also thinking of a 408 stroke.. does this change anything from what we have been discussing? Also that T5 must go... i have my original swing pedal assymbly from being an orig 4speed car, id like to get a manual tranny back in there, would i be better off looking for a Top loader, or a tremec 5 aside from the obvious o/d?

 

ddonaca351

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Dec 1, 2002

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Camas Washington

Oct 8, 2005

#18

• Oct 8, 2005

• #18

If you run a stroker kit 393 / 408, etc... that again will help the torque, but will again DESTROY a t5 (even the "world class" t5) I mean youre talking about a solid 450+ motor.... poor little t5.

One of the best prices Ive seen on a kit is from flatlanderracing.com its a SCAT kit forged, for like 1600... about 18-1900 out the door with rings and bearings, etc.

A toploader is strong, we all know that... but if you go that route (and I am for cost savings cuz mine came with the TL) then you have to plan accordingly...
- you either run like a 3.0 ring gear ratio and get to drive the car on the highway
- or you run a 3.91 / 4.x + and take only surface streets and back roads everywhere you go so that you dont have to turn the motor 3500 all the way there...
- or you call up gear vendors and put in and overdrive (read: work)
- or you bite the bullet and save up about 1500 for a Tremec.
(yeah I know the trans is only about 11-1200 but it doesnt run too good with no clutch, or cable, or bellhousing, etc...)
D&D out of California is where I got the one for my 90.

So either way is good, as long as you plan ahead, and understand the drawbacks to each...

Hope this helps,
Dave-


EDIT..... Hey wait doesn't youre sig say you have an auto? Have you ever thought about a 4spd auto? I dont know if it's been done, but Im sure somebody must have.... veeerrryyyy strong, never miss a shift, still has overdrive, one pedal easy to drive, etc... something to think about.

 

BadAzzMach1

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Oct 4, 2005

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Oct 8, 2005

#19

• Oct 8, 2005

• #19

Yeah, The T5 is out...I know a guy who i think i can swap a C6 with for his T Loader. By going with the 408 kit am i going to smooth out some low end problems or am i still going to need to be in the market for some head work/Torque plates? I guess a 4spd auto is a possibility, but im kinda of slamn' gears guy, and id have to find one for a reasonable price

 

Max Power

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Jul 31, 2003

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Oct 8, 2005

#20

• Oct 8, 2005

• #20

Just get a toploader then. I think that is what I may do.

The 408 will like your stock heads without port plates a lot more than a 351 will.