Exploring big block aluminum head options.

I am working on a budget build 383, and would like to explore the aluminum heads available.

I know Eddelbrock, and 440 Source both offer them, but recall there was a member here that knew of another new comer to the market. They had a head that was sort of a combination of the Eddy, and 440 Source products.

And do i look at bare heads, or complete assemblies to save money? Do the assembled heads have to be taken apart and worked? I remember hearing that that might be the case.

I run Edelbrock "Performer RPM". It has done well for me and a nicely made part. 440 Source is another option and Edelbrock "E Street". I think the new head you are thinking of is a "twisted wedge" offering. There have been a few looong posts on this head but does not seem to be available yet.

You can look at different options, but the assembled head is likely the best deal for a moderate performance build. It should have decent valves and springs to match a moderate performance cam.

I had mine "prepped" by Muscle Motors. This included check and touch up of the valve job, check and correct valve guide clearance and clean up of the ports. While not strictly necessary, its cheap insurance IMO as a tight guide or slight valve leak would not help in reliability and power. I also had 10 degree locks installed as recommended for a mechanical flat tappet/manual transmission combo.

I went to the Stealths last winter. Took em apart, everything was fine in terms of valves/guides. Replaced the keepers and locks with 10 degree units as suggested.
Went with Crane ductile rockers which meant custom P rods. And I did have to clearance them a bit. With stock rockers I don't think you would have to.
Cometic .027 gasket to get the CR to .027 with my .017 in the hole slugs and maintain some quench.

Lunati 60303 cam, 494/513. I am using the Stealth valve springs that came on it but I don't rev past 5800.

Saved 44lbs and the butt dyno tells me it all made a big difference!
Still wasn't cheap, about $2k, but it's all fun, and it's all good.

Sidewinders are the new head you may be thinking about. I believe they flow more then Edelbrock and cost between the 440 source and Edlebrock. I think they are the best bank for the buck heads out there right now. Marsh performance sells them along with a few other guys.

I bought a pair of 'source "super stealth" heads with some trepidation even tho 'source recommended to a buddy to get the regular ones, the $100 off (ea) was too good (for me) to pass up. Ain't did nothing with em (yet). not sure if I can ream the guides out to use the 2.14/1.81 valves I have sitting on the shelf (11/32 to 3/8). I did get their roller rocker pkg with the offset intakes

I went the Eledbrock RPM performer heads. I have been running them for three years.

My engine builder did some head and valve work. He said the cost to do 906 steel heads to run like the RPM would cost just as much as the RPMs.

Yes The Sidwinder heads I got were from Marsh Racing.. ((Ads on Moparts ) worked great and the $$$$ was less than I expected..Besides Todd Marsh was extra helpful ... Good people to deal with !!!

I have one of the first set of Stealths made.Been on for years no problems.I did have the springs retainers and locks changed.I run a .588 cam solid and rev up to 7200 so it was a no brainer.Mine were checked and just cleaned up.Happy with them.Rocky

Here's a quick reply. As JohnRR has pointed out for a long time, and as I have explored with HP calculator in hand, it is doggone hard to build compression with a 383. For 10.5:1 compression, the volume above the piston is 83cc. For that reason alone I would go directly to the 72cc Edelbrock E-street heads. All of the alternatives of which I am aware run 80cc and up. I do not like to think of buying a new pair of street heads and immediately sticking at least $200 in them to get them milled to reduce combustion chamber size.

Secondly, keep in mind that a 383 is a smallblock living in a bigblock body. Unless you are going to twist the engine to 8000rpm, you do not need more airflow than any of the heads can provide, stock. Pretty basically, I'm looking at a max flow number of around 260cfm as what is needed to get to around 550hp. Pretty much all of the aluminum heads on the market can do that without porting. The extra flow capacity of, say, the Sidewinder heads will do you no good and the larger stock chamber will decrease compression below optimum. This is just an example, I could have said the same about any of the others.

Third, I do not know how far along your build is, or your budget. Here are some areas where I feel you could make some improvements to the shortblock:
1. Pistons - 383 pistons are very close in weight to 440 pistons, both being around 150 grams too heavy, with a pin about 50 grams too heavy. Lightweight forgings will reduce loads on the 3/8" con rod bolts and keep your engine alive higher in the rev scale. Plus they improve the engine's responsiveness.
2. Rods - Stock rods are heavy but strong, except for the 3/8" bolts. There are replacements out there, at least Eagle makes one.

Fourth, Edelbrock builds things in the US and if we want them to stay in business we have to support them.

Good Luck!
R.

PS: I have not mentioned the word stroker because you did not bring it up. But getting to 450 cubic inches with that block could be done pretty easily.

Thanks for the information everyone. This wont be a stroker, just a nice 383 to play with. I want to build it in a similar fashion to my prior race motor. But want to keep the compression in the pump gas range.

Trick Flow is supposed to have the Power Port 240 head out this summer?
I have not seen anyone selling it yet?

I bought some promaxx heads through summit this year for my 383. Paid around 950 with 10% off. But I haven't installed them yet and can't say much about them at this point.

With an aluminum head and proper squish, you should be able to run pump premium at 10.5:1 with no hassles.

Either pistons 0.020 in the hole and a thin head gasket or zero deck and a 0.040" head gasket will nail it. There's no need to go farther. Jegs has the 75cc heads (I mis-remembered 72cc above) for $1400 and change and all parts are more than adequate for a decent street engine. Plus the heads flow more than I remembered, so big enough if you ever decide to go stroker.

Does anyone else out there have a 72-75cc head for B/RB Mopar?

R.

I have no feedback on how they perform, but I saw these recently. I have a set of their BB 2 inch headers from 15 years ago and they are still perfect.


http://chryslerpower.com/webstore/Big-Block-Aluminum-Heads

I'm going way out on a limb here and guessing that these are yet another version of the Sidewinder heads. I'm thinking about the words, "coal" and "Newcastle" as there seems to be a glut of very similar performance heads on the market. One more street bigblock cylinder head is not what we need.

Chrysler Power Magazine is recently revived, either from the dead, or at least from a very deep coma. Lately they've been banging the Poly drum, seem to have produced at least one very nice looking 318 Poly intake. You can buy one for $600 if more than one has actually been cast. But one has been cast because the magazine printed a dyno test on a stroked Poly, achieving the mad output of one horsepower per cubic inch!

R. (skeptical)

I bought a pair of Stealth earlier this year. I replaced the 906's that were on a fresh rebuild. The locks and retainers were replaced. The 440, despite being a low compression ring and bearing shortblock, really picked up. Memorial day a piston decided to come detached from the rod (my fault) and the motor came apart.

Fortunately the Stealths suffered only two bent valves and checked out okay.

Looking forward to a 505" shortblock!