if i port the stock heads is it worth it? how much of gain do you think i would get? Also how much would it run?
Is it worth porting stock heads?
- Thread starter Jaswir
- Start date
Machine shops have a general rule of thumb: the more you want to whittle away, the more the price goes up.
I work with people that can do some amazing stuff with cars, all have said to ditch the stock heads. For what it is worth (from a friend factoring in a discount) I had an offer for $600 for a full cnc port and polish job on the stockers. BUT, as posted, I went with the AFR 165's. If by chance you catch brother's performance on ebay, they sell them for $1290 shipped (yes, shipped). They look every bit as nice as they claim.
As to the gain, this is not a magical number. It all depends on how far you are/can go and what size the intake/exhaust ports, combustion chambers, and what size the valves are upgraded to. Also, price wise, you must factor in the fact that you have to rebuild them also (new seals, guides, regrinding of the seats or lapping, advised to replace the stock worn-out springs, and possibly decking the cylinder head if not in spec). It all adds up more than you think.
I work with people that can do some amazing stuff with cars, all have said to ditch the stock heads. For what it is worth (from a friend factoring in a discount) I had an offer for $600 for a full cnc port and polish job on the stockers. BUT, as posted, I went with the AFR 165's. If by chance you catch brother's performance on ebay, they sell them for $1290 shipped (yes, shipped). They look every bit as nice as they claim.
As to the gain, this is not a magical number. It all depends on how far you are/can go and what size the intake/exhaust ports, combustion chambers, and what size the valves are upgraded to. Also, price wise, you must factor in the fact that you have to rebuild them also (new seals, guides, regrinding of the seats or lapping, advised to replace the stock worn-out springs, and possibly decking the cylinder head if not in spec). It all adds up more than you think.
Curse
Member
I know there are some people doing amazing things with ported E7s, but I still say it is not worth it. I went the ported head route and I regret it everyday I look at my dyno reading. I could have had a 300 rwhp car instead of a 250 rwhp car.
jackchan
New Member
I think it's worth it, if you do a valve job, new valves, springs.... I mean just porting stock heads and throwing the stock valves back in arent gonna net you much. The valve job is what makes the most power, the stock heads can flow nearly as much as a stock GT-40 if a proper valve job is done on it. Valve springs/keepers are just as important. With proper springs it will pull to a higher rpm.....stock E7's really need to be shifted at prolly 5100 to 5200 rpm (maybe actually less) unless something is changed. Not that good for racing! good valve job, good springs, good retainers.....it isn't cheap but it is sleeper!
the head shop in houston texas will do a valve job on your E7's and pick up the flow a lot for around $350. I think that includes springs etc. But I would have to check. I'll know tomorrow. I'm calling to price a set for my car. either goin E7's or "P"'s.
Jack
the head shop in houston texas will do a valve job on your E7's and pick up the flow a lot for around $350. I think that includes springs etc. But I would have to check. I'll know tomorrow. I'm calling to price a set for my car. either goin E7's or "P"'s.
Jack
Hissing Cobra
Founding Member
If you use a pair of '69-'70 351W heads and port/polish/install larger valves, you can make over 300 rear wheel horsepower with the right cam, intake, and exhaust. However, the work involved and the labor rate that would be charged would not make it cost effective to go this route. I looked into this thoroughly and decided to go with the AFR 185's instead because it wasn't that much cheaper. Anyway you look at it, good power will cost you. It's just a matter of where you want to spend your money that's important.
Curse
Member
Hissing Cobra said:
Worded perfectly. Plus with the aluminum heads, you will shave off about 50 lbs.
jammer84_03
New Member
- Nov 30, 2003
- 468
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i second part of that last post, i got the 351w ported and the power i gained was immence off of the stock heads, it was cheap and got good power, so it was a good bang for the buck. but i did have the cash i would just jump up to a afr's and get a shaft mount system. i am having troubles with the studs and snapped yet another on my setup so time to try something new.
And the answer is our very own Thumper460 - WWW.thumperoforangepark.com.
Do a search and you will find nothing but good things about him & the stock heads he ports.
Do a search and you will find nothing but good things about him & the stock heads he ports.
vikingpower
New Member
Curse said:
Swapping the heads is such a huge project that in my opinion its a waste of time and $$$ to put the stock iron stuff back on. E7's belong in the scrap yard! If you dont have the cash now, save a little longer and do it right, becuase a month after you put ported stockers on you'll start planning to upgrade the heads again!
jackchan
New Member
I had no idea that this guy was part of stangnet? Those heads look good. I for one don't plan on making more than enough power to run 11's. I have no clue as to why someone wouldnt think with ported, valve jobbed E7's and a power adder that couldnt be accomplished! I guess if you want to go 10's this might be a problem.......but then agian what is the limit of the stock Block......10's?? 9's??? just curious!
Jack
Yep, he has been around a long time. I thin his heads or powerheads are a great step up from stock and they will out flow quite a few set of heads that cost almost twice as much. Of course when you decide to port those heads the e7s won't be able to keep up.jackchan said:
Unless another $600 pops up some where I plan on getting thumpers. I think this a great bang for buck option. And I don't think this will be something I will be wanting to upgrade again for a long time unlike said above. My car isn't going to be just a track car either. It will be more of my DD. Ported cobra intake with thumpers will be more than enough for me. But, like I said if I could afford the AFR 165s I would get them. Thumpers are a great alternative.
jackchan
New Member
oh i agree. I don't want to (can't already broke lol) break the bank either.
I guess I don't read so well sometimes or I would have figured that out. I'm very interested in a ported set of E7's.....or ported "P"'s. The heads I had before came from a guy out in texas. And they ran wonderful. I went ahead and had the bronze valve guides installed, and the screw in studs, good valve and it even came with roller rockers for around $1050! yea I could buy a good set of used heads for that. But at the time I knew I would be spraying nitrous, and I felt like the irons would hold up better than alum. so thats what i went with. plus when you buy used you never know what kinda valve job is on that sorta stuff so to be safe you always wind up spending money on the used stuff as well......
unfortunately I had to sell them along with my mustang back 6 or so years ago. Better times are here. And I now have my mustang (actually two) and I'll be building one and selling the other soon. The one i keep will be my daily driver. It will see track time, but not as much as the old car did (it was strickly track). I ran something like a 7.36 and 7.37 back to back with old combo. That was full weight coupe with 8 point roll cage, explorer intake, 65mm tb, #24's, 75mm bullet ma meter, 9" conical k&N filter, shorty "P" specific headers ported (by me), 3.73's with MT 26x8 slicks, southsides, 90/10's front, 50/50 rear, air bag etc etc...anyway I ran 100 hp nitrous system on that combo with stock cam. (car actually ran 6.96-6.97 back to back but our track is 60ft short which I think is about 4 tenths different...hence the 7.36 time posted above.). Anyway, I converted this once in here......dont remember what it was.....but i think around 11.80's if I remember correct. Not to shabby for ported E7's with 100 hp nitrous kit.
If I can get this car I have now to run mid 11.00's on the spray and run low twelves off the spray I'll be completely happy with this for a true daily driver. There is nothing I hate worse than being beat! not on the street and not at the track! If I had the money I'd do the AFR's (prolly, cant really say...I'm big edelbrok fan). But I dont have that kind of money to spend not extra anyway. So I'll prolly get up with thumper or my buddy in texas again ....but this time it will be a little different. This time I will dyno my combo.....so as to know exactly what HP I am dealing with. that will also be posted in my car domain account (if anyone is interested). I may edit this later.......gotta get to back to work.
25thmustang
Mustang Master
E7s can be made to run fast even though they arent the most practical head to run... I would love to get some suspension, port my heads, and maybe go with a cam to see how fast it will go!
jackchan
New Member
thats kinda what I'm wanting to do. I cant be the first in the 9's with an '05......I can't be the fastest in a mustang 6's at 215 plus mph.......but I could possibly be the fastest with stock ported E7's and stock cam lol........I have a buddy that runs factory stock and he ran 12.50's (maybe 12.30's) with stock unported E7's! That is haulin.....naturally aspirated!
payupsucka
Member
stock heads will never beat aftermarket heads, even if you put the aftermarket heads on and dont like them you can always port them for even more power i dont think it really worth spending the money to port stock heads when for a little more you can get aluminum heads that are better lighter and will dissapate heat easier every thing that a stock head will never do
25thmustang
Mustang Master
I knew a guy running 11.2s with ported E7s in his Capri! Id be happy in the low 12s, high 11s all motor on E7s!
Blk91stang
Member
jackchan said:
I just ran 12.2 @ 114 with my cnc ported stock heads, stock cam, and SC-Trim. That's good enough for mid 11's with a driver better than myself.
I would imagine with a cam and S-Trim (I'm still running a little SC-Trim), low 11's or even 10's don't seem too far off with stock heads.
But as much as I love the reliability and power from my heads, AFR165's blow 99% of stock ported heads out of the water!! All comes down to how much you wanna spend and how much power you want out of your motor. I got my heads from www.Powerheads.com, btw...
25thmustang
Mustang Master
payupsucka said:
My answer to all these valid points...
Because when I go out and walk all over guys with big heads, high lift cams and such, it feels soo good! Sure my car could be faster, but Id rather have it be impressive!
