What are the best bang for the buck aluminum heads? Will be going on an 89 305 TPI motor. Not concerned about major HP gains, more with efficiency and able to bolt on my stock intake, accessories etc.
Are the sub 800.00 complete heads garbage or just prices dropping?

 

The cheapo ebay stuff/overseas wouldnt touch em

Maybe some used 113s?

Dart SHP isnt bad for the buck, Edelbrock isnt a bad entry level alum head havent kept up on Trick Flows stuff.

 

I know the later year Corvette 113's were good (with the D shaped exhaust ports.)

 

I've heard good things about Flo Tech heads.

 

Keep in mind that with the exception of Trick Flows, I'm not sure of any aftermarket aluminum heads that offer a small enough combustion chamber to keep your compression ratio where it is now. The 113s or the Trick Flows would be my choice in order to keep your compression up. Additionally, the small-ish ports of the 113s and those Trick Flows should keep low speed velocity up which will help keep your 305 from getting soggy at low rpm. Most heads designed for larger cubic inch motors aren't going to help a 305 build good torque at low rpm.

 

You cant put most 2.02 or larger intake valve heads on a 305! It will hit the cyl wall if valve lift is over .430", which stock lb9 cam could be .415 with 1.5 rockers. it would be severely shrouded and may hurt flow and not give you gains. If you want aluminum, tfs small bore heads would work with a 1.94" valve. Else go 113's rebuilt

 

Thanks, I don't want to lose compression and am not concerned with squeezing biggest possible valves in there, just a slight upgrade and a few lb's lighter. I've got a set of 1.52 roller tip rockers waiting to go in, not worried about the cam, call me crazy, but I like the torque curve of the stock cam. I'm probably just gonna get some refinished iron heads and call it a day, but aluminum is soo pretty and I like adding lightness

Trying to remember, stock 305 TPI heads are 56-58 cc? stock valves are 1.8xx/1.5xx?

ugh, doing a bit more searching and it's hard to find aluminum heads with out 2.02 valves. The search goes on

 

58cc combustion chamber on LB9's

 

Or if you can wing it go for a set of modified early model LT1 heads, From what I read from one of the articles posted here from a company that was offering them that they were a 35 hp increase over stock ZZ4/113 heads. If you can get a set on the dirt cheap and have them modded that could be a good way to go.

 

Do you remember what tread this was talked about in?

 

They are full of something just not the truth

 

Maybe but like I said if he could find a set on the dirt cheap ( I've bought multiple sets of LT1 heads for 50-100 bucks) Pay somebody to mod them or if he can weld them up himself then he'd be miles ahead of trying to get a set of ZZ4 heads (even used they usually run about 500-700 bucks).

Here's the thread with the article included...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...n-project.html