[steve25]

Very nice 388 SBC!

[steve25]

Last Summer a worked on a set of these for a guys BBC , and one Intake seat was moving already after 300 miles on the street and some 34 passes at the strip.

If your looking to build even a 455 cid motor of about 500 hp I would go for the Edelbrock or KRE D port heads!
I do not trust the lack of consitant tempering on these heads!

[dragracerx2813]

Originally Posted by steve25

Last Summer a worked on a set of these for a guys BBC , and one Intake seat was moving already after 300 miles on the street and some 34 passes at the strip.

If your looking to build even a 455 cid motor of about 500 hp I would go for the Edelbrock or KRE D port heads!
I do not trust the lack of consitant tempering on these heads!

So is there a way to check the seats before using them?

[steve25]

It's not so much the seats and there press fit into the ,its how hard the Aluminum as a whole has been tempered which aids in supporting the seats above a certain amount of spring seat pressure.

[HWYSTR455]

I heard the same issues with the E-head and other offering when they first came out, and time have proven it was isolated cases.

The Olds crowd has been doing the SpeedMaster heads for years, no issues.

If you want to take a 'safe' approach, wait some time while the production line works out kinks, and you will be fine.


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[grandam1979]

I have found plenty of problems with Edelbrock heads just do a search you will find them to. I have done a lot of research on the speed masters and I seems a lot more positive than negative.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

I have found plenty of problems with Edelbrock heads just do a search you will find them to. I have done a lot of research on the speed masters and I seems a lot more positive than negative.

What kind of problems? Are you talking about the ones in like the early to mid-2000s? Because casting and seat issues were gone by say 2006-2008.


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[69Nok]

Thanks for posting your setup and results.

I'm currently building almost the same right now so it's good to see what neighborhood it'll be in when done. Using the 112 LSA version of the same cam, 0.040 over 400, speedster heads, 10.25 to 10.5 compression. Love the big fat torque curve (great stuff for the street).

[Skip Fix]

I have a set of E heads form one of the first runs. Hammered on them on my 455 and a solid roller, now on the 500" IA motor with an even bigger cam and have accidentally buzzed it to 7000. KRE hand ported them before they did CNC so big they have pushrod and head bolt tubes and never and issue. Dan Barton touched them up and little and added some spring locators vs just a shim like KRE had. Only issues I've had is oil drainback but most aftermarket heads of many brands do not having the large drain holes of factory iron heads.

[1 bad disco bird]

Looks like you did real well with that budget build Jeff, nice numbers. I have a feeling you wont sell the car as originally intended?

[steve25]

In regards to all heads made off shore , I think they are all made with powered metal seats, and if so this is a short coming I would want to know about!

[GoatZillaRacing]

Originally Posted by steve25

In regards to all heads made off shore , I think they are all made with powered metal seats, and if so this is a short coming I would want to know about!

The Pontiac Speedmaster heads have Ductile Iron seats. I would think if you want to knock a product you should have facts not "I think". Everyone can "think" whatever they want, but those with the "facts" are in the ones in the "know".

[BDH79TA]

I've come and gone on these boards for years. This is exactly the reason why. I don't have an unlimited budget. I have priorities beyond just that Pontiac sitting in the drive.

You post what you've done. Or what you'd like to do. No matter what it is, there's always a jerk or two that tell you why your build is crap if you're not sinking 2500 or more in a set of heads. A high dollar crank or roller cam.

It was asked how much better the OPs engine would run with KRE heads etc. How much more power would that garden variety dime a dozen SBC put out if you put on a twin turbo set up? Comparably, I'm not impressed with your combo either. We all do things according to a budget or a planned outcome. Not necessarily to be the fastest car in the state.

I think it's pretty freakin' sad when someone that's been around long enough to be a so called "ultimate warrior" would belittle someone like that.

Thanks OP for your post. It'll be a fun car! I guess I had hoped it might be different this time. I've got no desire to be affiliated with self important, "my car is better than your car" simpletons.

[PontiacJim1959]

Originally Posted by BDH79TA

I've come and gone on these boards for years. This is exactly the reason why. I don't have an unlimited budget. I have priorities beyond just that Pontiac sitting in the drive.

You post what you've done. Or what you'd like to do. No matter what it is, there's always a jerk or two that tell you why your build is crap if you're not sinking 2500 or more in a set of heads. A high dollar crank or roller cam.

It was asked how much better the OPs engine would run with KRE heads etc. How much more power would that garden variety dime a dozen SBC put out if you put on a twin turbo set up? Comparably, I'm not impressed with your combo either. We all do things according to a budget or a planned outcome. Not necessarily to be the fastest car in the state.

I think it's pretty freakin' sad when someone that's been around long enough to be a so called "ultimate warrior" would belittle someone like that.

Thanks OP for your post. It'll be a fun car! I guess I had hoped it might be different this time. I've got no desire to be affiliated with self important, "my car is better than your car" simpletons.

X2, ..........its all about ego's, and my ***** is bigger than your *****.

[P@blo]

Thanks for taking the time to post your dyno results. I think you did very well on your build but I have always been partial to 400's so I am biased.

Great work!

[lust4speed]

Maybe the simplest answer can be from looking at Edelbrock and their heads. Do you want hydraulic flat tappet springs or hydraulic roller springs? They all come with the same length valves and springs. Probably not that big of thing since smaller duration's and lower lifts treat the spring pretty gentle and the smaller the cam the lower the RPM the valve train is going to see.

The guys that get up in the .750+ inch lift at 8,000+ RPM need to be concerned with such things, but I personally feel that .600" and under lift staying at or under 6,000 RPM the harmonics really shouldn't be of concern.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

The guys that get up in the .750+ inch lift at 8,000+ RPM need to be concerned with such things, but I personally feel that .600" and under lift staying at or under 6,000 RPM the harmonics really shouldn't be of concern.

I agree

[Steve C.]

As a fwiw, Paul Carter has done extensive dyno testing of many combinations using Voodoo cams and his suggestion was to keep the distance from coil bind under 0.100" on Voodoo lobes.

To me it seems a bit silly but I've seen some run a factory cam 0.282" away with the popular Crower 68404 spring !


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[ta man]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

As a fwiw, Paul Carter has done extensive dyno testing of many combinations using Voodoo cams and his suggestion was to keep the distance from coil bind under 0.100" on Voodoo lobes.

To me it seems a bit silly but I've seen some run a factory cam 0.282" away with the popular Crower 68404 spring !


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.282?

[Steve C.]

0.240", that said I doubt it was installed at 1.600" as claimed in the catalog.

Doesn't matter, still silly !


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