Y303 heads...feedback.

Mustang5L5

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,289
17,992
224
Massachusetts
#1
I'm starting to look at heads now. I would love to get some AFR 165's but the price range is just too much right now. I kinda wanted to stick with a Gt-40 style head but wanted to go aluminum. I was wondering if anyone was running the Y303 head and how much power they got with them.

Right now i'm looking to make a mild 306 witha GT-40 intake, the y303 heads and a aftermarket cam of some type (maybe a TFS S1 but unsure at this point). It would also have all the other typical supporting bolt ons and upgrades.

At about $550 a head assembled, it's not a cheap head, but not close to $1500/pr they want for the AFR's. I was wondering how close in performance they would be.

I'm only in the research phase right now. Not really committed to any head yet. Hell, i just might slap a cheap set of GT-40P's on it for all i know.
 
#2
The Y heads flow similar to the P heads, but are aluminum. At $550 a head, IMO you are wasting your money. Spend the extra $75/head and get the X heads if you want to stay with the gt-40's. Or you can get a set of Edelbrock performer heads for around the same price which will vastly outflow any out of the box gt-40 head. I got my Edelbrock 60379's for $999 shipped from summit (after a price match of course). You could get a set of TFS twisted wedge heads for around $1100. The gt-40 series are outdated. At $1050 a pair for the Y heads, why get some better heads??????? In the end if you are committed to buying the Y heads, you can buy them from blueovalindustries for around $850/set. For a while the Y heads were selling for $700/set, but it is hard to find them at that price anymore. Try http://www.buyfordracing.com.

FYI: You can get a new set of AFR 165's for under $1300. Do a search, look around...
 
#3
Well you should know my opinion on this subject. I got the gt-40p's and if i could go back i would have thrown in the extra money and got either afr's or twisted wedge. Better yet isinceyou dont have an intake yet i would get the holley systemax kit and call it a day.

Joe
 
#4
i am running the X heads on my 92, to say they are outdated is wrong, there are just a bunch of other heads out now that flow as good or better, but for the money, the any GT-40 head is good, better than factory any day. i am happy with the X heads, picked up almost 3 tenths in the 1/8 mile with just the heads alone, i had cast iron Gt-40's and then switched to the X heads, so not a bad investment. the AFR's are the better head though, i am not sure about the twisted wedge, but the AFR's are the way to go if your wallet can stand it. i bought my X heads when they first came out, so i could have paid the same for the AFR's, they just weren't available then.
 
#5
1BAD93 said:
Well you should know my opinion on this subject. I got the gt-40p's and if i could go back i would have thrown in the extra money and got either afr's or twisted wedge. Better yet isinceyou dont have an intake yet i would get the holley systemax kit and call it a day.

Joe
Click to expand...

Yeah you are right i guess. Do it once do it right.

I would do the Holley kit, but i think the upper intake is butt ugly. I have the Cobra Intake anyway, all i'd have to do is swap the upper to a GT-40 unless i find something to convince otherwise. I have time to research seeing as i have noplace to put my car right now while i work on it.


PS. That Trick Flow Stage 1 cam sounds pretty badass. I have a video and pictures if you want to see them. Let me know.
 
#6
Hey if you look at any of the adds in some of the popular mustang magazines like 5.0 and MM&FF you will find a ford racing dealer that is selling the Y heads for $699. It has been that price for a while so I dont think you have to worry about missing it. I have also come to the conclusion through a lot of research that the only things that ford racing makes that are worth anything are always more expensive than aftermarket pieces. Also I have found the AFRs for $1340. So if you were gonna spend 1100 on the heads I would save a little more or go with some edelbrock or TFS heads. But that is my opinion. But always shop around an hour with the two magazines i was telling you about will save you hundreds. Especially if you are buyin from summit or jegs or worse right from ford.
 
#7
Mustang5L5 said:
Yeah you are right i guess. Do it once do it right.

I would do the Holley kit, but i think the upper intake is butt ugly. I have the Cobra Intake anyway, all i'd have to do is swap the upper to a GT-40 unless i find something to convince otherwise. I have time to research seeing as i have noplace to put my car right now while i work on it.


PS. That Trick Flow Stage 1 cam sounds pretty badass. I have a video and pictures if you want to see them. Let me know.
Click to expand...

cant say no to any video :)
 
#8
Mike,

The TFS Stage1 cam would work pretty good with the GT40Y heads. Consider the GT40X heads I've been looking into them. Also if anyone reads up and I mean really really read and see the details, Edelbrock heads are of far better quality then AFR's, if you don't believe it then just look I didn't until I did.

Kenny
 
#9
KM 94 GT said:
Mike,

The TFS Stage1 cam would work pretty good with the GT40Y heads. Consider the GT40X heads I've been looking into them. Also if anyone reads up and I mean really really read and see the details, Edelbrock heads are of far better quality then AFR's, if you don't believe it then just look I didn't until I did.

Kenny
Click to expand...


Yeah, i like the TFS cam. Last weekend I installed a 5.0 motor with cleaned up E7's and a TFS cam in a friend's Mustang and was very impressed by the power it made. I am going to leave cam selection to the end however as i want it to match whatever parts i select.

The reason i want to go with aluminum heads is i would like to lose the weight of cast iron heads. Switching to aluminum can shave off 50 pounds alone. That, along with a tubular k-member, switching to manual steering, removing A/C and smog junk and a fiberglass hood should shave a nice chunk of weight of the nose.
 
#10
If you've got a grand or more to spend on heads - there are many better alternatives to the Y's (I've got Y's). AFR165's, TW and Edelbrocks seem to top the list.

If you have a Cobra intake, the only benefit to switching to a GT40 upper is a slight weight savings (about 9 lbs.). The Cobra, Explorer and GT40 uppers all share the same lower, and all flow very similarly.

If you pick up a used pair of Y's in the $500 range, and have them ported - that might be an economically sound way to go.

I wasn't looking for the ultimate in peak performance - just a little better than stock, and to knock 50 lbs. off the front end. They were far and away the least expensive - so I went with them. But if I were building for more power/torque - I'd probably go with the 165's.
 
#12
Had the y's put $455 into them after the $699. I bought them because i didn't want to spend alot of money, then i spent alot on them anyway.
Sold them before they went on the car.

Here's why i ditched them, Y's box stock can get you low 13's, i had them milled to x head specs, valve jobbed, bowls cleaned up. (requirement of my mechanic is everything gets a valve job and bowl cleanup, no exceptions). With the extra work he knew i could go into the mid to high 12's.
Problem is that because of small exhaust ports, you aren't going to break 300 rwhp with them, likely not out of the 280's, which is decent, but by todays standard cars, like c5/c6 corvettes, 05 mustangs, Evo's, even Neon srt's, you will just barely keep up, so what's the point in doing all those mods. It's like we been telling honda guys for years, just a bit more mild.
If you are going to spend time and money, get the most from mods. Y's don't do that.
I sold mine for $950 on ebay, and got a deal on extrude honed TW's (bare). Never looked back. In my mechanics opinion i am getting as much NA hp from a stock shortblock as you can get. No doing things twice.

Cost more, but i recouped a decent amount from old parts i sold. But no "i wish i got better heads" feeling when i drive the car.
Even with my combo i have in the sig, after 2 weeks with the car i got used to the power and it's not enough, i guess i'm at 347 or supercharger time.
 
#13
Personally I like the Y's. I paid $726 shipped from www.buyfordracing.com ... They are factory ford take offs from their crate motors. They need no work and are ready to bolt on. You can't get a better bang for your buck. Sure you can pull more hp with a set of TW or AFR but do you really need to spend twice the money?

Besides, you're going to have more issues trying to get the car to not spin so you can focus the extra money there.

I say go for the Y's, you'll save enough money to get injectors and a MAF....

On the other hand, if you are shooting for a 600hp beast that runs 10's then of course buy a set of TW or AFR's but for most of us, Y's or comparable are all you need for a great street performance.

For those people that spend 30k+ on their cars, great for them. They should run fast and when they get beat by me, well that just means I just saved 27k+.........

Just my .02, Larry
 
#14
KM 94 GT said:
Mike,

The TFS Stage1 cam would work pretty good with the GT40Y heads. Consider the GT40X heads I've been looking into them. Also if anyone reads up and I mean really really read and see the details, Edelbrock heads are of far better quality then AFR's, if you don't believe it then just look I didn't until I did.

Kenny
Click to expand...

Yep! :nice: the Eddy's are better and cheaper too! They also come with better springs. Plus, if you go with a Eddy intake they are all port matched! I have read a lot on all the heads available and my shop also recommends the Eddy's over AFR's!
 
#17
Grover!
long time no see foo


yeah, i had y heads too........... grovers. lol
never used em, sold em after i bolted em. took em off..... i think vic jr's are a better bargain for only 300-400 more. :)
 
#19
WOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW there haas.....

your talking about the diff of a afr 165 to a afr 205........ kinda

the z head on a 302 would be considered a race head.... now, on a 408, a nice mild street head. a tfs tw, afr 165/185, gt40x, ebrock perf rpm head......all of those will get ya there. the tfs setup (h/c/i) that runs about 2k is good for right about 350 at the crank.
a z head, all setup, and ready to run, is going to cost ya near 2k all by itself.
 
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