i've searched since day 1 on what heads wanna go with for cheap. if any of you know me ya know the simple swap going through already. well, against all odds, against monte's persuasion and a few other naysayers, im gonna buy a cheap set of fully assembled ported 187's and put them on my lo3. if i dont like them i will keep them for a spare set and upgrade, but i would just like to learn from first hand experience weather these heads being ported are really worth anything..tell me what you think

 

If it's against all naysayers, you've already heard the other opinions. You want to hear more people telling you those heads are junk? Or are you looking for that one guy to come on here and give you a pat on the back and say you're going to enjoy the heads and you'll make good power?
Might as well PM him and save the drama of this thread eh?

 

this kinda stuff is why im getting rid of my car and want nothing to do with 3rd gen. everyone is a **** on here for the most part.im soo sick of it

 

I don't really see the reason in your post, but I'll reply anyways.

Its your car and you can do whatever you want with it. Its not my car and not my money, so do whatever you feel is right for it. As long as you are doing what you want to do, and what you feel is right for your car, who am I to judge you? Good luck with the swap!

 

Sorry to hear man, there are good paople here, but there are also blunt a holes too.

Anyways, the exhaust side can be improved dramatically. But the intake side, you are verry limited, the only good thing about those heads are that they make table top like power levels, so in a mild application, they will do ok, but for those seeking power, they are 110% no go. Hope this helps.


Guess i need to post more in theese sections, sorry about the people who are negative.

 

WELL THERE ARE A FEW NICE PEOPLE, OBVIOUSLY YOURE ONE. BUT FOR ME THERES TOO MUCH NEG ENERGRY AND FOR ACAR THAT NEEDS HELP I GOTTA MOVE ON CUS IM NOT GOIG TO GET IT AND A TIRED 305 AINT WORTH MY TIME

 

Eh, as long as you didn't pay much for 'em and you can do a headswap on your own, there aint that much wrong with your logic. They should have been cheap, they should work, and it's still a V8 no matter how you cut it so it should give you a decent amount of torque.

And whatever you use next should make you very happy.

Regardless of the fact that they're not gonna outperform $2000 AFRs and Trickflows, I tink people sometimes miss the forest for hte trees. In the end, when you're rumbling down the road in your thirdgen, sometimes it just doesnt matter that your car is a 14 second car instead of a 13 second car. Who cares that your trap speed isnt in the triple digits, your car looks good, it sounds good, and if it makes you happy, go for it.

They're still gonna be slow, though.






That's nice.

 

Those swirl port heads can go 13s, but that is it without N2O. Just to get my var running if i ABSOLUTLY had to, id use some.

 

One of the great benefits of this Board is people willing to tell you when you're being stupid. It's not personal, it's just factual. Stupid is as stupid does.

Whether fully ported 187's are "cheap" is subjective. Low-priced, maybe, but price doesn't take benefits into consideration. A set of cracked heads may only be $25, but does that make them "cheap"? Of course not, because what you're going to have to spend on them to make them usable is going to out-weigh the price you paid for them.

Whether fully ported 187's are a good deal compared to $2000 AFR's isn't the point, either. A proper comparison would be to fully ported 081's, 416's, or 601's. Any of those would run circles around 187's, but are probably going to cost more because they're worth more. People will give you 187's, just for taking them off their hands, but you'll probably have to pay for rebuildable 081's, 416's, or 601's (but, then again, maybe not).

Of course, "fully ported" isn't very descriptive, either. One man's "fully ported" is another man's "quick & dirty port job". Regardless, whatever it costs to port 187's, it's going to cost the same to port heads that will end up performing much better. And, that's a fact.

We aren't mad. I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed that you think you can be an exception to the laws of physics and economics.

{Edit: Well, the originator didn't want advice, he wanted to know what we think. So, disregard all of the above.}

I think this is a stupid thing to do.

 

Honestly, there are so mant heads out there just lying around everywhere, that is the real reason not to use them. But, the fact remains they will give you 300 HP if done right, but that is all she wrote.

 

Yea, makes you just want to leave and never come back eh? Don't let the door hit you on the way out...


Five7's advice is pretty solid there. Those who really know what they're doing are getting tired of repeating themselves, where as the people with pie in the sky dreams, or who are satisfied with paying $500 for machine work on heads to get a stellar 300HP are coming out of the wood work.
If they are cheap, then might as well try them. It'll only cost the price of the heads and head gaskets. Later down the line it's not a big hassle to upgrade, you're only out the price of the new heads, gaskets, and some spilled fluids. Then you'll have your own personal experience with the heads (and direct back to back comparison with the ones you put on after), and you can come on here and tell your own story about them

 

Whatever. People here are way too opinionated and at times pretty rude. If you want to try it, do it. You will see for yourself whether you like them or not.

I have a set of 187s lying around not doing anything that I will most likely port and put on a 305 that I have lying around not doing anything and see what I can do with them. It'll probably build good low end torque (and I'll focus the engine build in that direction) so I'll put it in a truck. I wouldn't go out and pay for some 187s (nor would I go out and pay for a 305, but I have them already), but if they are ported well and come for around $50 or less I might consider it just for giggles.

 

I'm not mad. I take exception to being grouped with people you find offensive just because I drive a 3rd gen camaro and frequent this forum. I've also found that the way I present myself has a lot to do with the reaction I get. If I say i'm "gonna make you all mad" then chances are I will.

Still, if I ask for advise that's just what I'll get. Someone else's opinion. Hopefully, they have experiance which makes their advise meaningfull. It's still up to me to make the decision. As has been stated, "it's your car". Maybe when you get it running you can report back to us and let us know how it did for you. Possibly you can lead someone else to a solution or away from a problem. Isn't that what this forum is all about? But don't expect EVERYONE to be gracious or helpfull. Most are but same ar not. The "are not's" don't account for the rest of us though.

 

this was not just a question i have asked but a test that some of you have failed...just seeing a post stating im gonna make you all mad raised enough suspicion in your head to say "im gonna open this post and pick a fight with the poster or other postee's", or im gonna give this guy my honest humble opinion. besides all of this i will tell you whats gonna happen. there are tons of 187's laying around true, but a good port job will out do my stock swirlports any day. the guy im buying them from who does professional machine worth, Greg Boransky of Shawano Wisconsin who owns and operates performance express, stated to me that he has a stack of 416's ported laying around because they just couldnt get them to work right on the stock car motor(s) they build. He's a licensed machinist and i'll take his word for it. he stated for the 187's he would give me pretty cheap because of the fact that 305 heads are useless to him since they switched from 305 to some motor i have never heard of. for the fully ported 416's he would sell them for 400 fully assembled bolt on ready to go. NOW THE KICKER which im sure you will all wanna smack me for and im thinkin about changin my mind and going this way: he has a set of 601's that he said he will let go for 500, thats AFTER complete port polish 3 angle job, seats springs valves ect. should i spend the extra 100 bucks and have him do this? YES I SHOULD. he said he wont charge me anything for the casting. so free heads. i think it would be a good idea to pick up the 187's just incase though. and i need something for right now well i save up. i trust this guy and his prices cuz he did all the motor work for my cousins 350. calm down people.

 

So did I pass? I hope you're grading on a curve -cuz im justa dum 3rd gen guy... Oh did I mention that my z's slower than a snail and I spent a ton of money on it? Did that help... Teach???

 

One of the truest things ever spoken, for sure. Trust me, I don't like seeing people making bad choices any more than the next guy.

And seriously, we could do very well without a post like this. All you are going to do is stir up crap about the mediocre parts you want to use. How is that helping anyone?

 

come on now 327, im not trying to pick fights with anyone. i was just waiting for someone to tell me they had used these heads with no problem at all. or someone to tell me about their experience that scarred them for life with these heads. i also stated i want to know from first hand experience how these may or may not satisfy me. I as YOU, have heard all different explainations on why or why not to use these heads, if you guys are gonna get all worked up over this post then someone please have a mod remove it and i apologize for all or any misleading personal feelings i may have imposed on any of you. btw 327, i've not informed you of backing out on the sale of your ported heads because i havent made up my mind yet, part of this post was suppose to be a persuader.

 

LOL you know I didn't even recognize your user name when I posted a reply, I just read the title and the posts and didn't pay it any mind. No harm no foul. I finally got the Sportsman heads I purchased from a dishonest member on this board fixed at a machine shop, so they are going on the 327 this weekend finally and the ported/polished 081 heads are coming off. I may use them on my brother's otherwise rebuilt 305 because it kills me how bad his 305 runs with the cobbled together heads it has on it right now (chugga chugga chugga!). Let me know.

 

blimko - the members over on the TBI board have more direct experience with these heads (positive experience no less). If you want some first hand info, i'd re-post this thread over there.

Users in the tech/general engine have little experience with them, or have bad experience.

 

Sonix I have ported/polished 081s that I did a really nice job on a little while ago, that blimko was supposedly interested in buying (I got a whole bunch of PMs from him on them) but now apparently he is going to use 187s? I will find some use for the ported/polished 081s. They were a good little head on my 327 shifting around 6200 with a Stealth Ram on top.

 

i have very personal experience with the 187 heads... ran them for a YEAR every day... guess what... they suck... and i dont think any p&p is going to save them... performance wasn't what GM had in mind when they designed them... which is obvious just by looking...

i just want to know why in the hell some "experienced,great, wonderful, licensed" machinist would ever waste his time on them... he knew from the beginning they would be worth their weight in gold to some sports fisherman without a anchor... but i guess he found some misguided schmuck to pay $400 for them right... he must not be that dumb after all....

in case you havent noticed i am one of those people who dont give a crap if what i say is what you want to hear

 

thank you sonix i will try the tbi forum.
as for spitotrs, i dont remember saying anything ANYTHING about paying 400 bucks for 187's. i can pick up a set for 100 bucks. the 416's are 400. im telling you right now, the ported gasket matched 187's will OUTPERFORM my stock swirlports. YES if i were looking for the best my motor can do i would skip all of this bullshiit and go with afr's. but im not. im looking for the best I can do with what i can afford. and im looking for something that will work better than my ticking swirlports for the small amount of cash i have till i can save up for a good set. you guys are missing this point completely. they will do alot better than my stock heads, and if they dont i will keep them for a spare. thank you all for your time. if you wish to insult my wishes i'll be on the tbi forum.

 

you do understand that your stock "swirlports" ARE 187s YOU WOULD BE FAR BETTER OFF spending the same money at a junkyard for almost any OTHER HEAD.... as even with a proffessional port job they arent going to over come the monstosity found on the intake side... now some people claim that it can be removed... then you have a set of 624s with a smaller chaimber and smaller valves

 

I still have my ported and polished fresh 081s ... much better head ...

 

yes i know i hav 187's but they are the orginal head and instead of getting them redone to work for now i would rather buy a ported set for really cheap. my pass. side head has an odd tick possibly collapsed lifter not real sure.

327. i know you still have the heads but i cant afford to shell out 430 at the moment otherwise i would have bought those heads from you already i guarantee it. the more money i have to spend the more i have to give to my brother for my bike. thats why i wish i could have made payments like 2 payments but that never works

 

This makes absolutely no sense to me, Why would you want to sell your car b/c somebody made you mad over the internet (HAHAHA ill show them, i'll just sell my car)

 

187s get dogged for no apparant reason. BOTH Dyno Don and I have both proved with a little work, the swirl ports will run well.

This is how my G20 van runs with a 187 headed 305 (Production LT4 cam).