How to choose (poll)

[PlayingWithTBI]

Not sure about a grand for cylinder heads on a 175k mile engine

Closer to $1200 after tax but, shipping is free

 

[454cid]

I would get used original heads and get them rebuilt, for the current engine or possibly go LS.

 

[LA2SD]

+1 The most affordable option would be rebuilt heads. If your motor blows, you're not out that much.

 

[Schurkey]

Not sure about a grand for cylinder heads on a 175k mile engine

Those heads transfer to a rebuilt short-block just fine; and they're ten times as good as the swirl-port turds.

175K on a feedback fuel injected, overdrive-transmission engine isn't that big of a deal.

Perform a cranking-compression test, and a cylinder leakdown test. If the rings are sealing and the oil pressure is adequate...who cares how many miles are on the block?

+1 The most affordable option would be rebuilt heads. If your motor blows, you're not out that much.

Technically correct. However, "rebuilt" heads are going to cost a substantial fraction of the "new" heads, (40%--80% depending on needed work) and any money spent on swirl-port heads is largely wasted due to their inherent poor flow.

Yeah, the engine will run. No, it's not going to make any power improvement.

Swirl-port heads are best used as doorstops.

 

[JasonG]

I will run compression and leak down test... i have had a gmt400 with 380k miles on a 5.0l lost oil pressure and well that was the end of that...so the heads seem to be a more viable option the more i look at it. Can i put these on with stock cam and everything or should i improve cam rockers etc

 

[JasonG]

As @Schurkey suggested, you can get these heads from Summit Racing (made by Trick Flow). They flow better than Vortec heads AND will bolt up to your intake manifold and accessories. They come with guide plates so you'll need either hardened push rods or, you can remove the plates and use hardened washers for spacers and keep your stock rockers. I bought mine about 2-1/2 years ago and am happy with them. I have chromoly push rods with 1.6 full roller rockers.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-162108[/QUOTE]

What else needed to be done to run these? What length rods? And can use stock cam?

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

What else needed to be done to run these? What length rods? And can use stock cam?

Like I said, if you keep the guide plates, you need non-centering rockers, and hardened push rods. Get an adjustable push rod to see what length you need.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tfs-9001

Yes, you can run with the same cam but, why would you? The TBI peanut cam is about as anemic as you can get. Flat tappet cams are relatively cheap. It's better to go roller cam but that's more involved.

 

[JasonG]

Like I said, if you keep the guide plates, you need non-centering rockers, and hardened push rods. Get an adjustable push rod to see what length you need.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tfs-9001

Yes, you can run with the same cam but, why would you? The TBI peanut cam is about as anemic as you can get. Flat tappet cams are relatively cheap. It's better to go roller cam but that's more involved.

Any can size recommendations

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Any can size recommendations

That's up to you. Personally I like Lunati VooDoo cams. Those heads say up to .480" lift but I asked if I can go to .484" on mine and they said yes, you can go higher. I had plenty of spring left before it would bind so, I left it there and am happy with it. I'm not real happy with their lifters though.

https://www.summitracing.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=10120700

 

[kenh]

Ask yourself, "Am I looking for ultimate power or just a good clean running engine"? What is your budget? What are future plans for this engine?

It sounds to me like you could be leaning to just a stock head swap. If you spend a few hours on the stock heads cleaning up all the square sharp edges in the ports and remove all the flashing and unshroud the intake valves they will do about anything you want for a daily driver. (MY opinion.) I spent 4 or 5 hours on mine. My butt dyno can't tell a difference but it seems to get slightly better mileage, maybe 1 or 2 MPG better.

Ken