Not a problem with you and it needs to be public that without more info we didn't know if it was an apples to apples comparison, now you posted a little more detailed info that actually does support it was worthwhile. That said some b-body guys have swapped to ported aluminums and lost single digit power others have swapped to LT4 or AFR heads and make less power than my mild cam only motor. Granted we have slightly smaller cam in stock form, it absolutely will not support any more head than stock. I see you have a 95 if your friend has a 95 on down this could explain some of it since those heads flow less than the irons or the later heads, don't mistake that for badmouthing them either I know they offer the most potential with porting.

Springs are a good idea either way so those are a constant cost be it heads or cam you do, gaskets we will call even too head gaskets cost more but you need more gaskets to do the cam. So weight it yourself the cost of porting heads vs. the cost of a cam.

 

He is a speed density 93. I don't know about differences between the years as far as heads go. MY friend that did the porting didn't hog them out as much as he did my heads. But the guy with the 93 learned how to port heads, and with his stock ported stock raceflow size valves and a 306 cam with and the addition of long tubes,now runs 12.1's on the motor and low 11's on the bottle. But yeah, they are aluminum heads. But I do hear that the iron lt1 heads have more potential for porting. But as I do know that pretty much everyones car reacts different to the same mods, a lot are similar tho.

ZMAN

 

Here is my set up it changed a bit but you can get an idea of what P&P heads did for me.
Before
96 TA A4
Hooker lt's, FIPK, home made Y, flowmaster, csi wp, stock tune, = 285rwhp and 307rwtq on a dynojet..afr 12.2

New set up
Mac mids, the Y is crushed pretty flat, flowmaster, csi wp, FIPK, LE2 heads, 1.6rr, home ported intake, 3.42 gears,mostly stock tune, With 10 deg of know retard so the graph is all over the place still pulled up to 310rwhp and the spikes where in the 320 range. Torque was all over the place too but were all still in the 320rwtq range at 4500rpm. AFR was 12.5-11.8.on a dynojet

So the changes were
LT's - mac's
stock heads - P&P heads and intake
stock RR- 1.6rr
285rwhp - 310 ish with 10 deg of knock..If I ever get off my butt and fix whats wrong I think it would hit 330rwhp if not more. Stock tune on both.

 

I know a guy who for some reason ported his heads before doing a cam swap and claimed his car put down 330 rwhp with all the other complimenting mods everybody does.

I really think its a decent idea to get some killer heads on a stock cam. You dont sacrifice drivability one bit but help the motor breathe better to make more power. Sure its not going to be up to its full potential but it sure beats sticking in a giant cam with stock heads.

 

The early aluminumheads are usually accepted as the best starting point for porting but the worst flowing out of the box. The irons do have room to port but you have to be careful not to go too far because even if you don't go through right away a thin spot in brittle cast could crack later on and it has happened to a few guys so I think most who port the iron do so a little more concervatively where the aluminums can accept max effort with less risk.

As far as Beaver's results too many variables and that fact it was on a stock tune makes me question the whole thing, I would not take advise from someone who goes through that effort and expense and skips on a $50-$175 tune that would greatly benifit a STOCK car much less a modded one. Besides I don't think 25rwhp from headers, and roller rockers would be unrealistic and that is all you gained.

As far as drivability I already noted I made a BIG jump in cam size and still drove perfectly in a heavier b-body with 1650 stall and 2.93 gears even towing a little so there are cam swaps to be had without any drivability compromise especially with a lighter f-body.

 

96capricemgr,

First try reading my whole post I went from Lt's to mac's. Where I come from going from Lt's to mid's is not a step in the right direction for making more power. If any thing I would say I lost power on that deal. So the main difference in my set up is the 1.6rr and the p&p heads. As for the tuning Ion could not get rid of my knock problem with tuning and I have not had time to sort out what is casing the knock. I'd say a gain of 25rwhp with 10 deg of knock is quite a bit of an increas. If you know any thing about tuning you know there is a lot left on the table with my set up.

But hay I'm making all this up so what do I know!

z28kid93,
If you would like to see my dyno sheet from the pull's I did with the heads shoot me a PM. Or if you would like some references for my truthfulness.

Later

 

I am going to catch some flak for this. But I also have Mac's, and don't underestimate them. They are better then a lot believe. I have raced a couple cars with bigger heads/cam and LT's. I have either hung or beat them. One car had almost identical mods with the exception he had LT's. I pulled on that car, but not by much. But most of the time it was pretty close. From the few cars I have raced with long tubes, I wouldn't say mid lengths aren't any better/worse till you stroke it or used forced induction. I am not trying to start an argument, but just going by what I know. On the nitrous running against the same cars, they would walk me. So you will be hurt by using mids over LT's on the nitrous. All from personal experience. Want any more details, just ask.

ZMAN

ZMAN

 

i have ported heads and no cam, im gonna run my car at the track this week i think. im also still on stock tune i will post up my results.

i have been curious about this same topic for awhile now.

 

I've been trying to determine this same issue for some time. I'm going to be throwing on a killer set of AFR LT4 heads, but am wanting to wait to change the cam until I can do the whole short block. I have 130k miles on the motor and am fearing a spun bearing.

I want to throw in a custom cam, but don't want to become another horror story. What to do???