83 CrossfireZ28

Does anyone know a good source to find small block Chevy cylinder head casting numbers. In particular 305 heads from the early to mid 80's. I'm looking to upgrade the heads on my Cross-Fire Camaro and looking for modest upgrade.

Thanks

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm
http://www.73-87.com/chevy_ids/sbheads.htm
http://www.enginelabs.com/news/quick...sting-numbers/

83 CrossfireZ28

Thanks...those look like great sources of information.

But does anyone know what heads the Cross-Fire Camaros had? I'm considering upgrading to a better factory casting or a mild aftermarket head.

I need to know what size my combustion chamber size is...valve size...and what the intake runners cc at. My compression ratio is 9.5:1 from the factory and would like to keep it around there.

Thanks

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

They were usually 416. Same as most other 305s in these cars.

58cc; runners around 160cc or so; 1.84"/1.5" valves.

Not any other stock heads that are really materially better. Some might argue that the 601 is, but for as little difference as there is, not worth changing em out.

That induction system applies other limits to performance LONG BEFORE the limits of the heads are reached. As far as "more power", just swapping out heads is far from the 1st thing that needs done; i.e., they're not "The Bottleneck". Spend your time money and effort elsewhere in the meantime.

Suggestions would include, get rid of that stupid tractor-motor intake manifold; replace the old Stone Age 1970s computer with a "modern" TBI one, since that's what CFI is at its core; exhaust, from heads to bumper; gears; decent transmission.

Without ALL of those things taken care of FIRST, it's doubtful ANY heads would make a noticeable difference. Just take off the intake and flip it upside down and compare the runners to the runners in the heads; not hard to figure out where The Bottleneck is.

83 CrossfireZ28

Thanks for the info. Aerohead Racing Products offers heads with 58cc combustion chambers and 165cc runners with 1.94/1.50 valve. Do you think they would be worth it. They sell for about $400 fully assembled.

I already have the Renegade manifold to replace the factory CFI intake.

So, I should get a computer for a later model throttle body injected V8...Camaro or Firebird?

I plan on done some of the other mods you mentioned such as exhaust, gears and maybe a shift kit for the transmission.

Thanks for the help!

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Here's what I found on the heads for the LU5 crossfire 305
14014416 ("416") or 14022601("601") heads with int: 1.84/ exh: 1.50 valves, 58cc chambers, 178cc runners.

I know the 601's are the 305 H.O heads, I didn't know those was ever used on the crossfire but with GM who knows lol

The 601's are the "best" 305 heads with the 416's right behind them. Only other options for a better OEM head would be the corvette L98 alum heads but good luck finding those at a good price.

Or...

L31 vortec 350 heads. They are listed as 64cc but that's not true. All of the ones I CC'ed was 62-63cc. Stock that would drop your compression down from 9.5 to 9.07:1

You could have them milled down to 58cc at a machine shop though.

But the vortec heads will not allow you to run your crossfire intake or even the Renegade one you already have. So that might not be the best option

Next would be aftermarket..
Trick flow has a set of alum heads, 56cc chambers, 175cc runners, 1.94/1.50" valves but are around $1100 ready to bolt on.

World S/R iron heads. 58cc, 170cc runners, 1.94"/1.50" valves

The zz4 L98 alum heads, 58cc chambers, 165cc runners, 1.94/1.50" valves.

Or the aerohead ones that you already know about

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Doesn't sound like much of an upgrade. Sounds like one of those "class legal" type deals for racing where "stock" heads must be used, but people need to be able to buy "new" as opposed to re-working old junk, kinda like World "S/R Torquers" ("S/R" = "stock replacement") Certainly, $800 plus incidentals will produce FAR more results spent elsewhere, than on basically stock replacement heads.

I'd suggest keeping that money in your pocket for now. Do whatever else, all those other things that YOU ALREADY KNOW FOR SURE REALLY ARE "The Bottleneck", and see where that takes you. THEN AND ONLY THEN, if you somehow feel that heads have ben exposed as The Bottleneck (i.e. they become the ONE THING most limiting the car's performance), re-consider. Meanwhile, looks like a HUUUUUUUUUUJJJJJJJJJE chunk of change with very little potential to even be noticeable, let alone justify spending half the value of the whole car on it. I sure wouldn't do that, even if I somehow ended up with one of those motors.

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

^^^

OP...

The factory exhaust setup is HORRIBLE on these cars. From the head ports out it needs to be replaced.

The factory ECM can be replaced with a 7747 setup with a hamb board. I would upgrade the 7747 to an EBL Flash after installing a hamb board so that it is plug and play.

With the renegade intake, I would bore over the TBI units and have larger throttle plates machined. I would parallel plumb them using an external regulator. With the TBI units parallel plumbed a pair of 9C1 350 cop car injectors can be substitued.

The stock cam is actally not that bad, but it is not great either. You could make 230-250 HP with the factory cam if it is in good shape.

With the EBL, better intake, improved fuel system, larger TBIs, headers, and exhaust you will be set to make more power. Even a tiny Comp XE262 cam will make about 250-270 HP in a HO 305 with stock heads. If you were to take a stock set of 416 or 601 heads, port and mill them you could get about 300 HP with the mild XE262 cam. If you really wanted an improvement a set of 113' casting number aluminum heads off of a later model ZZ4 would be a very nice improvement. With 1.94/1.50 valves and springs good for .510" lift they are quite capable out of the box. The EBL is tuneable to a fairly radical cam. Something in the 214-220 @ .050 range would work quite nicely if you put the proper converter and gears to match the cam. With a set of lightly worked over ZZ4 heads, a 218/226 @ .050 cam, and 1.6:1 roller rockers I feel 300-325 HP would be possible. People would be scratching their head as to how their smogger "built" 350 got beat by a crossfire 305.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

You are correct, not too great of an upgrade but performance heads for a 305 is far and few between. The tiny 3.750" bore does not allow for any larger than 1.94/1.50" valves and all the good heads have 2.02/1.60" valves. The bigger valves will hit the top side of cylinder bore on a 305.

The vortec heads would be the ONLY good cheap head upgrade but it's 8 bolt intake pattern will not work with the stock or aftermarket crossfire intakes, or other common non vortec intakes with the 12 bolts

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

1.94/1.60 clears fine

ZZ4 heads work great on a 305

83 CrossfireZ28

I thought about the World heads, but they're are about $1000 a pair from Summit.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Well those others are about $800 a pair, so...

Very little bang, but lots of $$$, either way. Replacing stock heads with aftermarket "stock replacement" heads having pretty similar specs, is not a particularly effective use of all those $$$$.

83 CrossfireZ28

The bigger valves won't help much?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

No

You have a 305.

A little maybe; but.... $1k spent to get bigger valves? or even $800? compared to getting a better cam, a better gear, a better ECM, a better exhaust, a better transmission, a new paint job, shocks that have less than 200k miles on em, brakes that will keep you from running into the back of a modern minivan that can stop in half the distance your antique can, tires ..... , .... ???

I don't think so.

Spend you giga$$$$$ where they'll do the most good. Then once all that is as good as it can be, nibble around the edges a little bit, like larger valves. You have A LONG WAY to go before that's the way to get the largest results per $.

83 CrossfireZ28

Makes sense. Would be best spending that money building an engine for the car. My car is a very nice for the most part all original with only 98,000 miles. I've already upgraded my brakes to drilled and slotted rotors and stainless braided flex lines. I'm running 17x9 wheels from Year One with 275/40/17 tires and a cowl induction hood and a brand new paint job.

My first mod besides the Renegade manifold was going to be the exhaust. I found a set of Hooker shorty header and off road y-pipe along with a Flow Master American Thunder exhaust system...that should free up a few ponies and give it an awesome sound, then I'd like to put a set of 3.73 gears in the rear and maybe a shift kit for the transmission.

Thanks for the advice!

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

I fully agree with this. Heads are the #1 thing for power but on a 305 you are so limited in what heads you can use it really don't make it worth while.

Yes the better heads like ones I listed before will gain you power, but not $1,000 worth. That grand can make you more power else where on your engine.

If you run across a deal on good used heads like I mentioned before for $200, 300, 400 then yeah grab them it's worth it.

The 305 is just a poor engine to try to get a lot of power from. Best way to look at it is... The 305 is chevy's asthma V8 engine. It just can't breath.

big hammer

from what I can tell, the TFS 170's are about the best for a 305.

83 CrossfireZ28

Are those aluminum and what about the price?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Yes they are aluminum and price is $545 to 650 each ($1090 to $1300 for set of 2) depending on valve springs needed.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/d...rder=Ascending