Quick question - are all SBC heads interchangable

[jmead]

I've got a 350 w/ stock heads. They're a little crusty, and could use some work. I've got a chance to pick up some bare 283 "POWER PACK" heads cheap. This would allow me to choose the parts I want and build up the heads, while still having good working heads (hopefully) that I don't mess with. Will the 283 heads fit a 350 no problem? Anything I should consider before buying?

 

Just want to know if they will work. Thanks

[Guest Thurem]

Are these heads of a 283 ci displacement motor? If so they are useless as the valves and runners are too small.

Consider the vortech heads from Chevy, cheap and good power.

thure

[grumpyvette]

" Anything I should consider before buying? "

short answer, power pack heads make reasonable door stops

 

"the question usually goes, hey, got a chance to buy fuelie heads for $300, is this a great deal or what?"

thirty years ago FUELIE HEADS were the HOT TICKET

but your dealing with heads that are thirty year old technology, they will most likey need at least a valve job,new valve guides and new springs and port work, by the time you put that much work and money in those heads youll have more than likely spent more money for worse results than buying the more modern heads that have not had 30 plus years of stress,corrosion,and bad valve jobs

 

http://www.fastnuf.com/Headguide.html

 

HERES AVERAGE FUELIE HEAD FLOW NUMBERS

 

http://www.kendrick-auto.com/462_chevy_head.htm

 

heres two comon performance cylinder heads that are available today measured on the same flow bench

 

http://www.kendrick-auto.com/dart_cs_iron_eagle_215.htm

 

http://www.kendrick-auto.com/brodix_track_i__cs.htm

 

THE CAM AND CYLINDER HEADs are some of the MOST IMPORTANT PARTS ON YOUR ENGINE AS FAR AS DETERMINING YOUR HP/TQ POTENTIAL

YES THE FUELIE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN MOST STOCK HEADS, YES THEY CAN BE PORTED BY EXPERTS AND MAKE GOOD HP,BUT BY TODAYS STANDARDS THEY ARE STILL LESS THAN IDEAL.

EVEN THE COMON VORTEC TRUCK HEADS CAN EASILY OUT FLOW THEM,

 

http://www.kendrick-auto.com/vortec_cs_gm_head.htm

 

DO YOURSELF A HUGE FAVOR AND IF YOU SPEND MONEY ON ALMOST NO OTHER PARTS BUY GOOD HEADS, LOOK AT THESE ENGINE BUILDS

 

http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

 

THE ONE THING YOULL FIND OUT IS HIGH HP ENGINES REQUIRE GOOD CYLINDER HEADS AND A MATCHING CAM, I CAN,T THINK OF A MUCH BIGGER OR MORE COMON MISTAKE THAT TRYING TO BUILD MAX PERFORMANCE WHILE RESTRICTING THE ENGINES POTENTIAL WITH STOCK HEADS

a rough FORMULA/gauge to guess the hp POTENTIAL FROM THE CYLINDER HEADS FLOW NUMBERS is (.257 x flow at max cam lift x 8= potential max hp)

so if you have 225cfm= about 462 hp

if you have 260cfm= 535 hp

now your highly unlikely to reach MAX HP POTENTIAL but the better heads will almost ALWAYS SHOW that 15% or better results. on a 400hp engine running fuelie heads that is likely to mean you would have had 460hp with the better heads (15% improvement)

look over these heads

ALPHABETICAL ORDER

 

AFR

BRODIX

CANFIELD

DART

EDELBROCK

G.M. PERFORMANCE

PRO ACTION

TRICKFLOW

WORLD PRODUCTS

heads they all have better heads

 

a good set of cylinder heads makes or brakes your combo as far as the hp it produces, youll be doing yourself a huge favor to get the best heads you can possiably afford even if it requires waiting a few months,

the iron eagle 215cc, trickflow 195cc,AFR 195cc , DART PRO 1 and MOTOWN 220cc ALUMINUM heads have all proven to make good hp if you take the time to match them to the correct displacement,cam tining and compression ratios

[Guest mikey_clark]

Chevy High Perfomance Magazine's got a nice book titled Small-Block Chevy Engine Buildups that has some good condensed info on heads. And they show how to build up a 400hp 350 for around $3000 including a brand new long block. Take a look. It's good quick reading and covers a lot of ground.