• Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

patriots vs. porting my stock heads

  • Thread starter Thread starter stang_man_1
  • Start date Start date Aug 11, 2007

stang_man_1

New Member
Feb 17, 2006
24
0
2
Aug 11, 2007
#1
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #1
i am planning on upgrading my heads and intake and i had a few questions i wanted to ask.

should i get new patriot heads or have my pi heads ported ?

which would be more cost effective ?

how much would porting my heads cost (ballpark) ?

i am planning on getting a set of stage 2 N/A cams either way
and if i use my heads will i need a valves/springs?

what grind would be best?

what other mods should i do?
 
0

'03GTinFLA

Member
May 29, 2004
486
0
17
St. Petersburg, FL
Aug 11, 2007
#2
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #2
I'm a fan of used parts from the classifieds if your on a budget like myself. I found a set of P&P heads with comp valve springs for $800 and found used VT N/A cams for $300. My advice is to have cash in hand and look often at stang sites. If that's not your cup of tea, then I would suggest buying new heads, VT - MPH - Steen - couple other quality ones I'm missing. Your going to hear a lot of negatives about the Patriot heads and a few people run them without problems. When I was looking into having my heads ported and polished, adding oversized valves and upgraded springs, I found it was just as expensive as buying new heads. Then I found a used set online.
With your cams, again I suggest VT or MPH and call them and get a custom grind specifically for your application. Your going to need those 3:73's in your to do list and if it's auto may I also suggest going 4:10 instead. You'll loose a little down low with the stage 2 type cams and the gears will offset that.
Good luck.
 

screamin gt

5 Year Member
Apr 9, 2007
393
6
28
central CT
Aug 11, 2007
#3
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #3
can't answer too many of your questions, but I had mine ported/polished/ valve job and it cost about $600 for all of it. old valve train was all good but they used new valve guides (or whatever those are called on these)

sorry I have no before and after dyno or anything.

cheapest I could find patriots was $1300.

keep in mind I wasn't very concerned with getting the top performance out of the motor. I don't have the funds to compete with most of these guys. just wanted to give it a little more go without feeling like I should only drive it on special occasions and such, so the only mods were the heads while they were off, headers, xpipe, and CAI.
 

TweekedGT

New Member
Jul 22, 2004
1,274
0
0
Alberta
Aug 11, 2007
#4
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #4
'03GTinFLA said:
I'm a fan of used parts from the classifieds if your on a budget like myself. I found a set of P&P heads with comp valve springs for $800 and found used VT N/A cams for $300. My advice is to have cash in hand and look often at stang sites. If that's not your cup of tea, then I would suggest buying new heads, VT - MPH - Steen - couple other quality ones I'm missing. Your going to hear a lot of negatives about the Patriot heads and a few people run them without problems. When I was looking into having my heads ported and polished, adding oversized valves and upgraded springs, I found it was just as expensive as buying new heads. Then I found a used set online.
With your cams, again I suggest VT or MPH and call them and get a custom grind specifically for your application. Your going to need those 3:73's in your to do list and if it's auto may I also suggest going 4:10 instead. You'll loose a little down low with the stage 2 type cams and the gears will offset that.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

I can vouch for his frugalness .
 
0

'03GTinFLA

Member
May 29, 2004
486
0
17
St. Petersburg, FL
Aug 11, 2007
#5
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #5
TweekedGT said:
I can vouch for his frugalness .
Click to expand...
Any chance you want to get rid of those blower cams?
 

SaleenGT2001

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2005
2,811
4
58
Four Oaks NC
Aug 11, 2007
#6
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #6
how much does a port job usually run??

i was quoted $1000
 

BennyBlown2v

New Member
Dec 9, 2004
1,233
1
0
Carmel, INdiana
Aug 11, 2007
#7
  • Aug 11, 2007
  • #7
stang_man_1 said:
should i get new patriot heads or have my pi heads ported ?
Click to expand...

There are no aftermarket (SVO excluded) heads for modular 2v's - if you buy patriot heads your getting ported Ford castings. Most places will do core exchange which can save you some cash. Unless you find a set second hand, it's gonna cost roughly the same to get your stuff ported as it is to buy a set of ported heads after exchange.
 

ProCharger GT

Member
Jun 3, 2004
153
0
16
Cleveland
Aug 12, 2007
#8
  • Aug 12, 2007
  • #8
I really don't understand why Patriot heads have such a negative mindset in people's minds...I know they had issues years ago, but if they were as bad as everyone says they are, there is no way they'd be in business for this long....so obviously someone is buying their stuff. That being said, I love my Patriot Stage II heads.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
37
109
LA, CA
Aug 12, 2007
#9
  • Aug 12, 2007
  • #9
Try talking to thumper. I don't know if he ports modular heads but he does a hell of a job on the pushrod stuff. I'm going to send him a set of pushrod heads some time soon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
4.6l auto to 5.4l 6 speed
  • EastanF5
  • Jan 22, 2026
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
0
Views
181
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Jan 22, 2026
EastanF5
E
9
Engine Donor '00 Mountaineer meet '91 Fox
  • 91firecracker
  • May 11, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2 3
Replies
41
Views
842
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 28, 2026
91firecracker
9
Engine Suggestions on an engine rebuild. Stock cam/GT40Ps or aftermarket on both for a fun weekend driver?
  • MadSquirrelTech
  • Apr 28, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
23
Views
770
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 7, 2026
MadSquirrelTech
S
Engine 2003 Mach 1 Automatic Upgrades assistance
  • SJK1417M1AT
  • Sep 25, 2025
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
3
Views
291
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Dec 21, 2025
01SVTvertt
0
A
Procharger install/prep questions
  • ahratrew
  • Nov 22, 2025
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
2
Views
367
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Nov 26, 2025
Noobz347
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?