First of all let me just apoligize if there is a post on this already but trying to read 100 post with a 100 comments isnt an option while on my lunch break...

Anyway, I bought a rebuilt LS1 to put in my camaro awhile back, it has casting# 241 heads on it now but while cruising craigslist all the time i noticed there seems to be quite a few different heads out there for the ls, so my question is, what would be a good set of very affordable heads to have on my motor to gain the most power? Is there a preferred head? or does it depend on the internals in the intake? If so all i really know for sure is it has flat top pistons, an ls6 cam and a plain jane ls1 intake.

Thanks for any input.....

BTW... I do not have $2000 for trick flows or $1000 for darts, referring only too the $200 tops stockers i can find on craigslist.

 

241s are the stock head, 243s are LS6 heads and what some consider to be the best ones for the buck stock head to stock head.

 

I have seen some otheres listed
706
806
853

Any of those any good?

 

243 > 241 > (706/806/853).

 

sort of. If you want to go off the deep end with cam specs, then the smaller chambers of the 706 heads will help. If you'd rather run a sensible cam, then see if you can sell your heads and install a pair of 317 heads that have been shaved about 0.030"
Getting to 400 rwhp with 241 heads isn't any challenge.

 

So it's sounds like since I am on a budget it would make since to just keep my heads....
What is a tell tale sign they have been ported like I was told they were?

 

Pull the intake and peek down the runners. If its still got rough casting in there, they havent been touched

706 and 856 heads are from 4.8/5.3's and have the smaller chambers. 5.7 guys used them alot when the LS1 first came out for a cheap bump in compression

 

853s are the exact same as the 241s but perimeter bolt valve covers instead of center bolt and were on the '97-'98 LS1s

 

Like Alita said, a set of 317s are cheap as all hell and flow what a 243 does for about 1/3 the price. But the chamber is bigger, like he stated also, just mill them down .030 and you have a decent head. Port them a bit to get a bit more.

 

Ok guys, thanks for all the input. I am gonna check mine out a little closer and see what I really have and go from there

 

243 are getting dirt cheap now! you can find good used ones ready to go for 100-150

 

There's a set of 243s on ebay right now, also a set of 799s for 150-175 bucks

 

They got for 350 around here.

 

No, 853's are center bolt. Have a set sitting in the garage right now that came off of a 2000 Camaro Z28 LS1. I pulled them for shaved 317's. The factory switched to 241's in late '00, which is what is on the other 2000 LS1 I have (happened to come from an SS Camaro).

 

hmm, I was thinking that the heads on my '98 were 853s.....I'll have to go look at that.

I just found out, they're 806 heads used in '97-98 and 933s were also perimeter bolt as well and are '97 only.

 

Dont assume you have an LS6 Head. LS2 heads are 243 too, but with the heavier valves. It is correct the 317 is just as good, but the problem is once its milled your really limited to PTV clearance. As far as 243 pricing, I paid 400 for a set with 5K on them fully assembled.

 

By the time you pay a machine shop to deck the 317s, I can't see how they're going to give you much, if any cost savings over just buying a set of 243s to begin with, plus you are less likely to have PTV issues.

 

I get a valve job on my used heads and they dont charge me when resurfacing to knock off .030.

 

Agreed, I have a set of 853's as well, they are definitely center bolt.

 

I was reading a thread on corvetteforums where a company took a pair of 243s and a pair of 317 with the same cnc port job on them, shaved the 317s to get the same compression and made more torque from the 243s.

 

Doesn't surprise me, since the 243s do have better chamber shape. The real issue is how shaved 317s compare against virgin 241s.