1990 5.7 camaro. Are the heads aluminum or cast iron?

 

camaro/firebird - cast iron 64cc

corvette - aluminum 58cc(??) I think

 

Cast Iron boat anchors. Why?

 

tell me about these boat anchor heads I have the same ones and I want to stay with them but I do want more performance.What do you recommend?

 

With a nice port and polish job along with 2.02 1.60 valves installed I have heard that they can attain 240cfm intake side at .550 lift ( I think that was the number). I had mine done but I doubt that they are flowing 240 cfm at that lift. I do, however, plan on netting me some 12's this year with the stock castings... we'll see about aftermarket ones in the future.

 

Thanks for the info.Im also curious in a good cam combo to go with those heads.Im looking for approx 350 hp.Im installing long tube headers and a 3" exhaust next week.I want to stay with the heads because my 91 z28 is all original and I want to stay with same block and heads.thanks again for any advice.

 

You can make those stock L98 heads howl like the wolf! (How does the potential to support 500 hp sound?) I did it with my stock 305 heads and so can you--just follow the link at the end of my sig

If you don't want to get into the additional expense of having the heads machined for higher than stock lift cams (.460) then an LT1 cam is the cat's meow. They are on eBay for about $50 or so. You can't beat that with a stick

PS The thing will be an awesome sleeper. Its idle will be dead smooth but it will haul through the quarter in the 13s easy--and maybe even 12s when you get more ambitious with the cam

 

Sitting Bull: Ive read your Port and Polish article on TGO, very nice work! I noticed you said dont use stock 305TBI heads, what did you use? 305TPI? I fi got a set of TPI heads and p/p them what kind of gains could i be expecting?

 

I used "601" castings. They were stock on many 305s from 1980 to 1986. "416" castings are also fine, as are "081" heads, which is probably what you have since it is TPI post-1986.

Heads from TBI engines (whether 305 or 350) have swirls cast right into the valve bowls and a restriction in the inlet runners. This was supposed to help low end power but strangled everything from about 3000 rpm and up

I'd say on a 305 you will gain at least 30 hp and on a 350 probably 35 or more. It is well worth the effort

 

definately port, it's not that hard at all....after the first couple ports you'll be doing it like a pro....

 

Exactly!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sitting Bull
[B]You can make those stock L98 heads howl like the wolf! (How does the potential to support 500 hp sound?) I did it with my stock 305 heads and so can you--just follow the link at the end of my sig

If you don't want to get into the additional expense of having the heads machined for higher than stock lift cams (.460) then an LT1 cam is the cat's meow. They are on eBay for about $50 or so. You can't beat that with a stick

Sitting bull your reply was not only helpful but It got me excited about what I could accomplish with my stock engine and heads.Thanks.What valves do I have and should I replace them with 2.02's?Also Im interested in what kind of rockers you reco with the LT 1 cam you told me about?

 

Alright! It is one of the great "unknown" secrets that these supposedly junk heads are jewels just waiting to be carved.

You have 1.94" intakes and 1.50" exhausts. They are perfectly fine for your purposes. I think the rockers you already have will work nicely with the LT1 cam.

Good luck and let me know if there is more I can help with

 

I checked on ebay and found an LT1 cam that came out of a 94 trans am and it 80000 miles on it.Should that be fine or should I look for a lower mileage one,it also has timing chain and gears with it.By the way there are alot of LS1 cams on there.Will they work?I have 2 sets of heads from 96 model chevy 350 v8's I think theyre vortec heads.I also have a set of aluminum heads from a 98 trans am which had the LS 1 engine.I am a adjuster for a extended warranty company I couldnt tell you how many Lt1 one engines i could have gotten but I would have to pay $300 for the cores and they all had something wrong with them now Im starting to come across LS1 engines that are burning oil.I sorry I'm running my mouth.Thanks alot sitting bull.

 

GMTONY55, you want to sell a set of those Vortec heads?