Trick Flow Heads Questions???

BKM48198 · Feb 12, 2016

I have a 90GT that is mostly stock, stock cam in a 96 Explorer block with the gt40 heads and Explorer intake, it has 1.7 Crane roller rockers and a mass air from a 95 Mustang (70mm) and runs good but I want more power. I am looking at getting a set of TFS Heads and will need to go up to 24lb injectors and mass air, I already have a larger fuel pump, headers, x-pipe, so my question is which heads should I look at for a daily driver? Will my stock valve covers work with the TFS heads and fit under the Explorer intake? With the stock block will there be any problems with valve clearance? I know I'll need push rods that are longer but what else might need replacing with the head change? Last question is what cam works good, idles good, and is VERY streetable to use with the TFS heads? Thanks.

stykthyn · Feb 12, 2016

Your pushrods will all depend on cam choice. I'm a huge proponent of big heads. By all means get the largest heads you can afford, but at this point, to take advantage of the heads and cam you are also looking at a new intake. Seriously look into an entire hci.

A5literMan · Feb 12, 2016

You should look into a comp cam xe264 or xe270 cams. They cost about 300$ But really at that price you should/could look into a custom cam. You can contact Ed at flowtechinductions.com, or Woody at fordstrokers.com, or any of the cam manufacturers for a recommendation. You can keep the explorer intake and have the lower ported by Tmoss. It will flow more than stock tfs 170cc heads. It costs less than a new intake(around 250-300$). I have his email if you need it. I also have another custom cam grinders contact info who did my cam(and toolow91). You always should check piston to valve and pushrod length with a head/cam change. Use a pro-m MAF and I would use at least 24's and recommend 30's. Stock valve covers will work but sometimes you might have to do some clearancing.

BKM48198 · Feb 12, 2016

Keep in mind that I am 53 and bought the car in 1989, I drive it to work every day so long as the weather isn't too bad, it will NOT be a race car but I might take it to see what it will run someday....it's been 15 years since I did last time. I don't want to go too big because I won't be adding Nitrous, Turbo, or supercharger........just want a bit more power than it has now. I have no plans on stroking it or going with a 351, I went thru the engine a year ago and plan on using it still so long as it runs good.

BKM48198 · Feb 12, 2016

I am trying to keep the cost down also, my budget is only about $2000 now, so that means heads and roller rockers, cam, injectors and MAF, gaskets, pushrods, etc. Some of the parts might have to be used....might be able to get a set of new heads for $950 TFS-170's.

A5literMan · Feb 12, 2016

This is my advise: cheapest thing to do is port the intake,buy the heads,add the MAF & inj,and be done. If you just want a 30-40hp improvement that's what I'd do. Keeping the stock cam with those mods will do it. Still have completely stock idle and mannerisms. If you want a slight bump up from there the 264/270 xe comp cams are a good compromise. They will have a slight lope but won't change the mannerisms much. Completely daily driveable. Many also run the tfs stage 1 cam(which comes in their h/c/i package). It does have a more aggressive idle and I have read about some people having a problem with surging. Just don't install an old ford alphabet cam(e303,b303,etc). I've ran one and they don't do much besides "sound" good lol. They are old technology and there are better choices nowadays.

addermk2 · Feb 13, 2016

BKM48198 said:
I am trying to keep the cost down also, my budget is only about $2000 now, so that means heads and roller rockers, cam, injectors and MAF, gaskets, pushrods, etc. Some of the parts might have to be used....might be able to get a set of new heads for $950 TFS-170's.

Keep the engine the way it is, and add boost.

You'll be happier with the results.

BKM48198 · Feb 13, 2016

A5literMan said:
This is my advise: cheapest thing to do is port the intake,buy the heads,add the MAF & inj,and be done. If you just want a 30-40hp improvement that's what I'd do. Keeping the stock cam with those mods will do it. Still have completely stock idle and mannerisms. If you want a slight bump up from there the 264/270 xe comp cams are a good compromise. They will have a slight lope but won't change the mannerisms much. Completely daily driveable. Many also run the tfs stage 1 cam(which comes in their h/c/i package). It does have a more aggressive idle and I have read about some people having a problem with surging. Just don't install an old ford alphabet cam(e303,b303,etc). I've ran one and they don't do much besides "sound" good lol. They are old technology and there are better choices nowadays.

I do want a little better sound along with more hp, right now I am mostly wondering which heads I should go with since there are so many choices, which cc volume would be best? The intake I can have ported later when money allows and I would not have to tear the whole engine down to do that, I am hoping to only pull it apart once to save money on gaskets, I don't want to keep putting $100 into head gaskets when I could spend the money on other things. I don't want an alphabet cam, and won't buy one, as you said they are old technology, maybe an Anderson or Comp Cams or a stage 1 TFS. So should I go with TFS 170's or 185's? Since I am not 100% set on TFS heads would I be better off spending more on a set of AFR heads? The AFR's would take up most of my budget just for the heads and a set of roller rockers though unless I could find a set used.

BKM48198 · Feb 13, 2016

addermk2 said:
Keep the engine the way it is, and add boost.

You'll be happier with the results.

I really don't want to add boost, want to keep it all motor.

addermk2 · Feb 13, 2016

That's really too bad. You're missing out on alot. Plus you get to retain the reliability if the stock engine.

LILCBRA · Feb 13, 2016

My 2 cents: go with any brand aftermarket head you choose. They are basically all better than the E7 heads. I personally have a set of Trick Flows on my Cobra II and I am satisfied with them. Some stuff to take into consideration if you haven't already is your valvetrain, specifically push rods, at least when it comes to Trick Flows. They do require a longer push rod than stock. Just one more expense you have to account for. What I did, and I am also recommending for you, get some 1.7 roller rockers. You wouldn't necessarily have to swap cams and it should provide another gain in HP with the increased lift and really no more money spent.

Grn92LX · Feb 13, 2016

Try the corral classifieds, you can find TFS heads for sale for around $1,000 sometimes with rockers & pushrods. I just sold my old TFS heads for $1,000 but mine had a good valve train, titanium retainers, were freshened up and milled. You can reuse the stock vc's and the explorer intake. Porting the lower is a smart idea but it may not be in the budget. You'll be around $300 in porting your lower between labor, cleaning and shipping. I'm just over $300 into having my edelbrock victor efi lower ported to match my 205cc TW heads.

A5literMan · Feb 13, 2016

I wouldn't buy any aluminum/aftermarket head besides tfs or AFR. Completely agree on the classifieds on corral. You can usually find tfs 170's for around 750-800$ and like previously stated you'll need rockers and pushrods. Don't buy the pushrods until you decide on cam. Always measure it up for the correct length needed. Not every motor is the same. If you don't think you're ever going to need a bigger head(build another motor etc) the 170's are perfect. So are the AFR 165's for what you're doing. You should just port the lower while it's off. Tmoss turns them around quickly. Usually within a week or so from you shipping to getting it back. So there isn't much down time. As far as the 1.7 rockers goes...they are a good idea if using a stock cam or even the comp cams I listed above(especially the 264-it is even designed to run them) can use them. Just not your present rockers because you'll be switching to stud mount heads instead of pedestals. If you stay with the stock cam and add the 1.7's you're close to b303 lift numbers without all the extra duration, just like your present combo.

BKM48198 · Feb 13, 2016

Grn92LX said:
Try the corral classifieds, you can find TFS heads for sale for around $1,000 sometimes with rockers & pushrods. I just sold my old TFS heads for $1,000 but mine had a good valve train, titanium retainers, were freshened up and milled. You can reuse the stock vc's and the explorer intake. Porting the lower is a smart idea but it may not be in the budget. You'll be around $300 in porting your lower between labor, cleaning and shipping. I'm just over $300 into having my edelbrock victor efi lower ported to match my 205cc TW heads.

I have found 2 sets of heads TFS 170's and AFR165's. The TFS 170's are new in box for $950 and the AFR165's are used, says under 2000miles on them but they are complete with 1.6 rockers,TF pushrods, and ARP studs for $1100. I'm leaning towards the AFR's since they are going to be less expensive in the long run and leave more money for a Cam and Injectors/MAF. That might also leave some $ for the porting.

TOOLOW91 · Feb 13, 2016

A5literMan said:
You should look into a comp cam xe264 or xe270 cams. They cost about 300$ But really at that price you should/could look into a custom cam. You can contact Ed at flowtechinductions.com, or Woody at fordstrokers.com, or any of the cam manufacturers for a recommendation. You can keep the explorer intake and have the lower ported by Tmoss. It will flow more than stock tfs 170cc heads. It costs less than a new intake(around 250-300$). I have his email if you need it. I also have another custom cam grinders contact info who did my cam(and toolow91). You always should check piston to valve and pushrod length with a head/cam change. Use a pro-m MAF and I would use at least 24's and recommend 30's. Stock valve covers will work but sometimes you might have to do some clearancing.

Brian Freezy FTW

Grn92LX · Feb 14, 2016

BKM48198 said:
I have found 2 sets of heads TFS 170's and AFR165's. The TFS 170's are new in box for $950 and the AFR165's are used, says under 2000miles on them but they are complete with 1.6 rockers,TF pushrods, and ARP studs for $1100. I'm leaning towards the AFR's since they are going to be less expensive in the long run and leave more money for a Cam and Injectors/MAF. That might also leave some $ for the porting.

Sounds like a good deal. Ask what valve train package they come with. You'll more than likely need new springs cam depending.

I happen to have Ford 30lb injectors for sale if you are interested.

BKM48198 · Feb 14, 2016

I was told the heads have `only about 2000 miles on them since new, but I might get a new set of springs anyhow. I have already talked to someone about #30 injectors and Pro-M meter. I just need time to get everything together and installed, hard to do when working 10 and 12 hr days but it helps pay for parts.

A5literMan · Feb 14, 2016

AFR heads are notorious for not using the best springs(actually the tfs .540 springs aren't that great either). If you have to swap out springs, check out flowtechinductuons.com. He can give you a package deal of matching cam and springs. Buy once and be done.

TOOLOW91 · Feb 15, 2016

A5literMan said:
AFR heads are notorious for not using the best springs(actually the tfs .540 springs aren't that great either). If you have to swap out springs, check out flowtechinductuons.com. He can give you a package deal of matching cam and springs. Buy once and be done.

Freezy can do the same as well he did for me .

Sent from my iPhone using my fingers while my auto correct makes me seem illiterate

A5literMan · Feb 15, 2016

TOOLOW91 said:
Freezy can do the same as well he did for me .

Sent from my iPhone using my fingers while my auto correct makes me seem illiterate

I was going to mention him also. The reason I didn't is Ed is easily researched/googled etc. Seems most people don't want to "search" for more than a quick internet "search". Also they want to do it as cheap as possible. I wouldn't hesitate in using Mr. Friedantag again for another project. He answered all my questions and offered advise and I was very happy with the experience.
Edit: not that Ed is cheap lol

Trick Flow Heads Questions???

BKM48198

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

BKM48198

BKM48198

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

addermk2

BKM48198

BKM48198

addermk2

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

BKM48198

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!

BKM48198

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

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Trick Flow Heads Questions???

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Fidanza Man!

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