Any opinions on what I've done right/wrong? Heads are 915's w/2.140x1.88's shaved .028 to 71.5ccs. Intakes are back cut, home brewed generic guides w/4 angle valve job ( 30/45/60/70-done in my back yard with a swap meet Snap On seat grinder) Ports are untouched with the exception of removing flash, I limited the heavy grinding to the bowls and cleaned up the short turn. I opened them up on the major side with the intent of keeping the mix active. They were run on a 9:1 440 shortblock w/steel shims for 30 minutes (just long enought to wipe the cam) Any opinions on the swirl pattern on the quench pad? Did I ruin them/maybe improve them/whaddaya think?

you're not going to get any opinion on anything with that picture .

Never claimed to be a photographer. I agree it does sorta suck. Maybe you can use your imagination....

Yeah.. a better pic would be nice..... From what I can see, I would trim the guide boss down a lot more on the intake side as it looks like it is just about as big as stock..... TBF

1.88 exhaust valves are too big for 915 heads. They cause the port to stall due to overloading. They work in max wedge heads because their ports are massive. You can't grind enough to make the 915 ports big enough. 1.81 valves work better, even then your heads need ported, especially in the pocket area and the short turn blending to the floor. If they were my heads I'd have new hardened seats put in the exhaust so you can use 1.81 valves.

I did consider hardened seats to bring 'em down to 1.81's but I was laid off (no money)so I just went with what was in there. I bought 'em with the 1.88's and assumed someone did that because the seats were pounded. My car is pretty heavy so I figure it's gonna need some bottom end to get it moving, that's why I didn't totally hog the ports/bowls. I'm basically just trying to get a season out of this motor-Next year I will be builing a stroker and will definately go withaftermarket heads. Worst case, what should I expect out of what I have?

How big are the bowls relative to the valve diameter? 75%,80%, 85%??? Bigger is not always better,but about anything will get by for a season until new heads are in the budget.

I went 90 on the intakes and 85 on the exhaust. I know the picture is terrible but I did take out a LOT ot material, just tried to take it out where I thought I should and still keep some velocity.

They will work with those valves but they'll work better with 1.81s. With those big valves and a heavy car you'll need at least a 4,000 stall converter. After looking at your chambers they will need unshrouded at both valves. Match the chambers to the head gaskets you plan to use and notch the tops on the cylinders to the head gasket but go no deeper into the cylinder than the piston ring travel.

The heads will work fine. The 1.88 valves are over kill but work fine on my bench. I don't think you have to worry about the port volume on factory heads being too big. Not saying that you can't port them wrong. If you need some cylinder head work on a budget let me know. I might be able to help.

Also, what kind of guides do you have?

Thanks for the budget offer but as of right now my budget is zero, gotta rum what I got. The guides were an eBag deal, $26.00 for 16. Pep was the brand name. Used a roller burnisher to size 'em, worked out pretty sweet. I actually did a little unshrouding in the chambers but didn't want to get too carried away 'cuz I had't decided on gaskets/comp yet. Ended up custom cutting some speed pro 2355's and used steel shims for 10.0 to 1 comp. Should have it running in a week or two (weather permitting). Winter sucks.....And yes, I did bring my motor in the house....WAY to cold outside

The reason I asked is because you said the cam went flat. Guides being too tight will cause that. Among other things. As far a the valve size, you need to port the heads to use the valve area that you have. Big valves don't kill low end torque they kill flow. Follow the guidlines that David Vizard used in the article on porting Mopar heads.

What cam are you going to use?

Hughes 52/56. The cam I wiped was given to me (new)along with an also new set of "no name" lifters. I really had no intetion of using them but I was laid off in the fall and decided it would be best to cut my expenses. One of the lifters actually fractured off right at the base and took out the cam. Afterwards I did have a couple of lifter bore issues but they cleaned up nicely.

Wow . Now thats a bad lifter. I have seen them wear through on the bottom but Darn. How many did that?

Just the one, but it made a nice mess of my oiling system, pump etc. On the bright side it did inspire me to improve a few things.

Are You CERTAIN these are 2.14 1.88?Those combos CANT work in stock location.Max Wedge were 2.08 1.88....The 1.74 WILL work good for increasing torque on heavy vehicles.I have a set of 516's that out flow the 915s I ever had.Or Any Other STOCK Chrysler head(On a Vehicle including MW...).


SS

Restricting the exhaust flow can increase low end torque.

Are you talking about ported 516's?

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Are You CERTAIN these are 2.14 1.88?Those combos CANT work in stock location.Max Wedge were 2.08 1.88....The 1.74 WILL work good for increasing torque on heavy vehicles.I have a set of 516's that out flow the 915s I ever had.Or Any Other STOCK Chrysler head(On a Vehicle including MW...).


SS

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915's

Avg. .001 exhaust and .0008 intake. I do have a nice set of unmolested set of 516's I picked up last summer. My next future project...

I need to correct what i said about big valves killing flow. What I meant was that the 2.14 valve in the early port flow less than the 2.08. Unless the port work is done to make it work. On the exhaust side the larger valves flow more. This is also true on many other heads. Ford GM ect.. I believe this is what causes the rumor that big valves kill low end torque.

I have some good information on 516's when your ready!

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Avg. .001 exhaust and .0008 intake. I do have a nice set of unmolested set of 516's I picked up last summer. My next future project...

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Ok, that makes sense. I picked the heads up used and there was some pretty crude work done on 'em. Whoever put the 1.88's in them just cut the seat open and left a huge shelf at the bowl so I know I made at least some improvments. The price was right and I put a lot of time in them but not much money. I'm one of those guys that has to do everything myself but I'm never afraid to ask questions.

Cool. I've heard/read things about 516's that don't make sense to me. It's about time I hear somebody say they can be made to work. I do have a nice set of used 2.140's I could use and I have the set of stones to cut the seats....

I'm one of those guys that has to do everything myself but I'm never afraid to ask questions.

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Is there any other way to be?

As long as you're learning they're not really mistakes right?

They serve a purpose. You just have to know their limitations. They will flow around 235 with a little work. Thats about as much as most duel plane intake. So its a cheap easy to find closed chamber head. If you have better heads than for sure use them. But if not