Picking my edelbrock heads, 2.02" or 1.9" intake valve?

[DLo]

I'm going to be ordering the edelbrock performer heads for my 306 build up soon. My question is, which head should I go with: the one with 2.02 in. valve (PN #60399) or the 1.9 in. valve (PN #60379)? I'm going to be sticking with the smog legal performer package, the car is a daily driver, and I'm looking more at the side of low end torque. Cam specs are listed as: Advertised Duration 282/282, Lift .498/.498

Would appreciate any help.

 

[go-stang5.0]

The 2.02 valve heads I believe will cause clerance issues with pistons on most cams/rocker arm ratios. You will prolly have to flycut the pistons to clear the larger valves. If you dont wanna deal with that I would suggest you get the 1.90 valve heads. I think some people here got away with running the 2.02 heads w/ stock pistons...maybe they will chime in to verify.

 

[BlackVert]

for low end torque, you'd be better off with smaller valves. better velocity that way

 

[ProKiller]

i couldn't tell you about the piston thing, but having the 1.90s, and now in the market for larger heads, i would say go with the 2.02s. get bigger to start, you'll be thanking yourself later down the road when you want more power out of the combo.

 

[reddy351]

+1 on the 1.90" valves. 2.02" are WAY too big for a mild 5.0. Even if you plan to make "big power" down the road. A 1.90" valve prolly won't be a hindrance.

 

[Green 94 5.0]

it all depends on your future plans. if you are just looking for a 300whp n/a car, the 1.90 valved heads will be sufficient. if you are thinking a stroker motor or a power adder down he road, then the 2.02 valved heads are the better choice to avoid spending money twice which unfortunately, many of us have done. on a side note, with the mild cam you chose and 1.6 rockers, you MIGHT be able to get away with the 2.02 valves without any modification to the pistons, but the only true way to tell would be to test ptv clearance when you get the heads. hope this helps.

 

[final5-0]

it all depends on your future plans. if you are just looking for a 300whp n/a car, the 1.90 valved heads will be sufficient. if you are thinking a stroker motor or a power adder down he road, then the 2.02 valved heads are the better choice to avoid spending money twice which unfortunately, many of us have done. on a side note, with the mild cam you chose and 1.6 rockers, you MIGHT be able to get away with the 2.02 valves without any modification to the pistons, but the only true way to tell would be to test ptv clearance when you get the heads. hope this helps.

I gotta throw in with this line of reasoning

Grady

 

[SQUEEZE&STROKE]

+1 on the 1.90" valves. 2.02" are WAY too big for a mild 5.0. Even if you plan to make "big power" down the road. A 1.90" valve prolly won't be a hindrance.

I respectfully call BS! LOL

I ran Victor Jr's (2.02/1.60) on my stock bottom end 302. It worked awesome. (I did have to flycut the pistons but that was easy) True, they didnt make the MOST power untill I added some cubes (331) but like mentioned before, it sucks buying heads twice. Even with the Victor's they still werent big enough for my new combo, so I ended up spending another couple of thousand on some bigger heads.


You really need to know what you want to do/want you want from the car before buying parts.

You'll thank yourself later.

 

[Grn92LX]

With a 306 you'll be using aftermarket pistons which should have deeper reliefs. Stick with the 2.02 valved heads, you'd be silly not to. I would also look more into afr 185's or twisted wedges instead of the edelbrocks

Theres a couple of examples in this thread debunking the"too big" valve thing: http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=599345 and another thread of a 306 dyno with "too big" parts making more low end then most on here do with small stuff: http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=80685&highlight=torque+monster

 

[chaos254]

i would go bigger... the 2.02 are not too big for a 5.0. You just have to set it up properly with the correct intake/cam. You will probably have to flycut the pistons which isn't very hard with the proper tools(isky sells them).

 

[wytstang]

Like mentioned you will be using aftermarket pistons and should have bigger releif valves. And there are plenty of twisted wedge heads making good power on 2.02 valves through out the rpm range. So no 2.02s are not to big as far as valves go.

 

[shelbe67]

to be honest with you I would go with the 1.90 valve head. It keeps the velocity up. I had mine ported by a guy that used to work at shaffiroff racing. His name was tony mamo. he ported my heads which were the 190 valve heads and someone elses heads and he was surprised to see that my heads actually flowed more before we could figure out why he moved he now works for afr designing bbc heads

 

[WhiteDevil]

+1 on the 1.90" valves. 2.02" are WAY too big for a mild 5.0. Even if you plan to make "big power" down the road. A 1.90" valve prolly won't be a hindrance.

yeah i think it will. Check my sig.

 

[DLo]

Thanks alot for the input, I think I'll just go with the 1.90's. This is my first build up, so I'm sure it won't be my last... I'll probably try some AFRs in the long run. I'll be fine with 300 N/A RWHP for a while, I'd like to tackle suspension and other stuff after the engine build. I *would* like to eventually supercharge the car, but that won't be for years. Good info in those threads, thanks for the links.

 

[final5-0]

I'll be fine with 300 N/A RWHP for a while,

That is what I said too

Now that I got there ... My GT don't feel fast no more

Grady

 

[Green 94 5.0]

Thanks alot for the input, I think I'll just go with the 1.90's. This is my first build up, so I'm sure it won't be my last... I'll probably try some AFRs in the long run. I'll be fine with 300 N/A RWHP for a while, I'd like to tackle suspension and other stuff after the engine build. I *would* like to eventually supercharge the car, but that won't be for years. Good info in those threads, thanks for the links.

if your plans are that long term for making more power, the 1.90s are definitely the way to go. the first set of heads i bought were a used set of twisted wedge heads. they had upgraded valves and springs and were ported on both the intake and exhaust side. i had that with a ported gt40, 70mm t/b, and a tfs stage 1 cam. to make a long story short, the car was a pig until about 4000rpm's where it really started to move. the heads were just way too much for the 302. i kept everything but the heads and dropped in a set of upgraded gt40x heads. the difference was night and day. now i have a set of afr 185's on the car, but then again its a blown 331 now. my point is if your plans for the blower arent somewhat in the near future, i wouldnt go with a head that outflows the motor and sacrifice the power now. just my .02

 

[Green 94 5.0]

That is what I said too

Now that I got there ... My GT don't feel fast no more

Grady

we have all been there.....

"i'll be happy with 300hp"

that seems to be the default lie that everyone around here tells themselves.....

 

[reddy351]

yeah i think it will. Check my sig.

"WhiteDevil"--Yours is not what I would call a "mild" 5.0.

All--Bigger is NOT always better.

There is no reason that you can't sell a set of heads a few years down the road, when they aren't "enough" anymore.
You'll recoupe most of your money. Maybe "WhiteDevil" is ready to sell his heads.

:SNSign:

 

[WhiteDevil]

Maybe "WhiteDevil" is ready to sell his heads.

:SNSign:

Lol i wish i was in a position to sell them. Im so broke right now. I want to sell them for some WORKED AFR 185s and trade up my FTI cam for an appropriate one. But i made a promise to myself that i would stay with this combo for at least a year.

 

[Dante30]

I noticed that you said you would like to use the smog legal performer package. If you are in a "smog" state like me (So Cali) then make sure whichever heads you use, they will be legal in your state. This may not be an issue for you, I just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in for those of us who have to deal with smog!

Dante30