Headswappers please respond!

[BlackVert]

I have some '01 heads and the intake to go with it. I am trying to make some decisions on how to proceed. Any insight you provide will be greatly appreciated.

Did you have the heads ported and polished?

Did you change the cams? If so, what cams did you use?

Are you happy with your results? If you could do it again, what would you do differently?

Thanks, Chris

 

[Bone Racing]

i am happy with it

i ahd a very slight port and polish, 3 angle valve job done on mine....

if i could do it again...i woulda gotten custom cams...i used the stock PI cams

 

[stangman]

well i never did the swap, cause i ended up trading it. but i almost did it, i had the heads & was getting everything ready to put in, so i'll let you know what was in progress.
i was going to have the heads ported & polished. then i hadn't decided between comp cams & vt engines (but i was leaning toward vt). i've seen nothing but good things about them & i will be installing some on my new car as soon as i decide which way i want to go with it. i was also going to be getting oversized valves to go along with everything. that should have put me pretty up there when it hit the dyno i know the guy i sold the heads to & he's getting cams to put in them (vt engines cams) & if he puts them in soon, i'll let you know the results

 

[NitroDuck]

1.) No, my heads are box stock as delivered from Ford.

2.) No, I'm running stock PI cams.

I'm very happy with the results of the headswap. If I could do it all again I would probably do it just as I've done it. I've thought about getting the heads ported and polished, but I didn't really have the money at the time. I've also thought about how I should have put longtubes on the car, but the stock manifolds seem to hold up pretty well. My car is basically stock, save for the headswap, a T/A, catted h-pipe, and 4.10s.

248rwhp/306rwtq, stock heads, no cams, stock manifolds, no tune.

e/ts dropped from [email protected] to [email protected] with just the headswap.

 

[68 & 00 GT]

are aftermarket cams a concern for compression since the PI heads on a pre 99 4.6 make more compression already than a +99 4.6. I understand some cams create cylinder pressure (raised compression ?) to get more power.

 

[NitroDuck]

cams can actually bleed off cylinder pressure. i would match my cam selection to the port job on the heads and desired driveability. if you've got a mild port job and a stock intake, and you'e looking to drive the car daily i'd avoid a really aggressive cam.

 

[BlackVert]

How could cams increase compression? They simply open and close the valves.

 

[Snydaleid]

How could cams increase compression? They simply open and close the valves.

Yeah it's the size of the combustion chamber that determines the compression ratio. 99+ heads have a smaller combustion chamber which causes a higher compression ratio when you do a head swap.

 

[BlackVert]

surely there are more people who have swapped heads!

 

[BAMSPE1901]

wish I would have:

1) done long tubes since I could have saved a grip on labor

2) gone with different cams, I left on the PI's

3) gone with a more aggressive P&P, with valve job and such, but money was an issue at the time


Overall, I am happy with the results, like a whole new car and definately love the sleeper look!!

 

[PG98GT]

wish I would have:

1) done long tubes since I could have saved a grip on labor

2) gone with different cams, I left on the PI's

3) gone with a more aggressive P&P, with valve job and such, but money was an issue at the time


Overall, I am happy with the results, like a whole new car and definately love the sleeper look!!

My thoughts exactly, though I do have an excuse on the cams...none BUT PI and NPI cams were available in early 2000, when I did mine, so it was academic, stay with the PI cams. I went with shorty headers so that I could reattach my stock cats should I need to (big mistake). My P&P consisted mainly of port-matching the intake and exhaust, along with the standard polish job. Good luck, even staying with the PI cams will bring good results.

 

[Justin01]

I am in the middle of my swap right now. Getting my heads P&P and I'm saving for a bullitt intake and VT cams. I'm going with their stage I N/A cams. Only like $570.

 

[BlackVert]

Come on people! Are there really so few people who have done the head swap?

 

[WhiteStang98]

if your gonna do it, do it to the max....i went with a fully stage 3 porting job, pro stock valve job, comp valve springs, manley oversized stainless valves, a set of vt blower cams (since i wont be staying NA) and i had my combustion chambers worked so that my compression would be in the low 9:1s instead of ~10.5:1....see sig for other mods

Paul

 

[billyfe390]

If my goddamn head gaskets ever get here I will have mine done in about a week. I am using 99PI heads with stock manifolds and cams. Next year some form of VT cams and long tubes will go on along with some bowl work and a kenne bell.

BTW you guys that have done the swap were in the hell did you put the 2nd temp sensor. I know some have put it on the block right above the last freeze plug but the only place on my motor for it is right behind the motor mount and I dont have an aluminum crossover on the intake.

 

[navarro98gt]

1. 2001 PI heads Competition porting, competition valve job, Ferrea SS forged valves, 7000 rpm spring package.

2. yes i changed the cams with a set of custom grind matching my port job.

3. yes i am happy with the swap, but if i could go back i would have saved all the money i used to mod my car and used it for a down payment on a mach or 03 cobra.

 

[white_pony]

I'm Swapping my heads right now as we speak, plus a bunch of other stuff that should make the old stang seem like Brand New!! I opted for a new cam to really get more out of the heads, plus depending on the heads you get, you may have to replace the valve covers (mine are offset). To really let em scream, I got some headers, along with a new exhaust, and mufflers. I can't wait to take her for a ride.

 

[PG98GT]

Link to pic of second temp sensor

This is the solution I used to the sensor dilemma.

Good luck