Modding stock TBI heads?

[Chris6060]

Hey guys,

I'm wondering if you could machine stock TBI heads to be high flow enough to be worth it?

I know a guy trying to get rid of some freshly rebuilt stock TBI heads off an 88 for cheap.

I was thinking maybe I could buy them and get them machined and stuff to make em higher flowing and capable of handling a cam with bigger lift and stuff than stock.

Just an idea. Going to look at the heads tomorrow. Not too sure what to look for as far as damage and stuff goes.

 

[95Escahoe]

Vortec heads are the better way to go, can snag a pair at a junkyard

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[Chris6060]

Junkyards here are crazy overpriced.

I can get this set of heads for 70$

 

[95Escahoe]

$70 for heads is hard to beat but unless you can machine them yourself I would not put anymore money in stock heads plenty of better heads out there

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[SkyHighColorado]

So can you just slap vortec heads on the TBI? And get an intake manifold to keep the actual TBI? Just curious.

 

[TylerZ281500]

yes you can. i modded my tbi heads because they were free i ported them out alot actualy went through the side on one port and ended up having to refill it. i think my heads are pretty maxxed, upgraded springs, bigger valves etc. would it be worth it to pay to have it done. no would vortecs be better? yes i also found that old dart torquer heads+tbi are freaking awesome.

 

[95Escahoe]

So can you just slap vortec heads on the TBI? And get an intake manifold to keep the actual TBI? Just curious.

Yup, throw the Vortec heads on and there is an intake manifold they make for that reason

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[Chris6060]

So it wouldn't even be worth it then eh?

 

[95Escahoe]

So it wouldn't even be worth it then eh?

Taken from another site:

The Heads. The TBI heads are the worst flowing heads GM ever released. So the best bang for the buck is GM Vortec head but does require a special intake and lots of EGR work if you need EGR to remain emission legal. These heads are good for a minimum 50hp gain. Another goodreasonably priced set of heads that will work nicely without special intakes on a TBI motor is a set of DART 165 iron heads. They flow well and the price isn’t terrible but has increased a lot lately. The DART 180′s also flow well and have a better exhaust flow than many small block heads and so I would keep the cams intake and exhaust duration tighter together.Lots of head options out there now and changes all the time. When chosing heads its important to know the flow data for those heads and not to choose a head with too much intake runner. While a 210cc intake runner head will make good horsepower on a 350 engine its not going to make good low end torque. now with a 400ci SBC that 210cc intake runner will work just fine as you have 50 more cubes to pull air down that runner. On the average 350, I like a intake runner in the 165-180cc range and I like my air flow at .500″ lift to be at least the 225cfm that a vortec head flows. Stock TBI head flows around 175cfm. While .500″ lift numbers don’t cover all the aspects to look for such as lower lift flow numbers and exhaust flow numbers its at least something to help you chose a set of heads. If its a GM head you have google the casting number with FLOW behind it and you may find some flow data for that head.

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[TylerZ281500]

if you want to port them yourself for a project theyll be better than stock but not better than a cortec and vortecs personally arent better than the darts or other heads and are more prone to cracking. or you could use lt1 heads and get them converted.