P5249769 W-2 heads

Saw some new/bare 65 cc for around $1250 a pair. Are they worth that, and what rocker/valves will they take?

They would be used on a 408.

Thanks!

Well list price is $656 per head. I wouldn't call it a screamin' deal.

That sounds like the foundation for a set of $2500-3000 heads...... Plus the $1000-1200 rockers they use.

I had to do a double take on this thread when I saw it. My Friend just dropped by with a set of P4532693 W2 heads that we were going to throw on my flow bench. He picked up a 360 with them on with Jessel rockers and a W2 intake. He had some other stops to make so we didn't flow them but I checked a valve stem real quick and they had 11/32 valves and appear to be unported. May be posting them for sale on Moparts in the near future for him

Hmmmmm, sounds like better options are available for what I want to do.

Thanks!

Thats a HIGH price.. even for so called new..
you can get them cheaper... make sure which W-2
heads they are... newer version is better... you
have to look at the castings and if they have
multiple holes for the exhaust... some one posted
pics of the different versions a couple of weeks ago
on a W-2 post... it might have been Fast68

Thanks Mike. I am not really set on any certain head. Those keep popping up on my E-Bay page so I figured I'd ask. I saw the thread with all the different versions and it made my head hurt.

So I gotta ask, what am I getting for spending $2500 on a set of W2 heads?

It's a bit hard to (IMO at least) to justify the W2 head these days. Once you have the head, figure on some work like making sure the deck is flat (mill work) and a valve job for the yet to be purchased valves. The valve train has to be thought out before hand and made ready for on the head.

Double check there flow curves. Fully ported, they have been reported to do quit well and out flow Edelbrock on the big end. Though they seem to like a lot of lift to do so.

IF! All the parts from start to finish can be purchased inexpensively, it would not be a bad deal. As cast or ported.

Another mention of W2 heads.
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2231848/sb-heads.html#Post2231848

Someone claimed
300+ CFM @ .600 lift.

I have heard as high as 320's - 330's cfm. IDK who ported or tested. Just what I was told.

These are a set of W-2 heads ported by Ryan at Shady Dell. They have Mopar 2.02 intakes.

LIFT----IN/EX
.100"--70.9/NA
.200"--137.9/104.2
.300"--193.3/150.2
.400"--243.7/184.5
.450"--265.1/191.3
.500"--282.4/196.6
.550"--293.8/200.1
.600"--299.1/202.3
.650"--307.2/202.9
.700"--312.1/203.7

Bill

For reference - I am planning to sell my W2 heads complete with matched Indy intake and Harland Sharp full roller rockers after the 2017 season for around $2,500. The machine work (including extensive porting) cost me around $1,000 alone. I have about $3,500 into them all together. They made 595hp/525tq on a 11.8:1 408 with a solid roller not set on kill. The combo has been bulletproof and I would do it again. Unfortunately I cannot leave well enough alone so someone will get a great deal.

I hope this helps.

It's not hard at all to get to $2500 when you start out with castings for $1250.
I quickly jotted down some numbers........... for middle of the road valves/springs/retainers, basic prep work and assembly ..........it very easily gets really close to $1000...... Without any porting.
If you added in $300-400 worth of bowl and chamber blending, a couple of flow tests, you'll be in the $1400 range in no time........ Plus the cost of the castings...... And shipping the heads to and from the head shop(if you don't live close enough to the shop of your choice to drop them off in person).

Then you have a pair of mildly reworked iron heads that require the use of expensive rockers(which can easily cost over $1000).

To port them enough to flow numbers similar to what is posted above from Shady Dell, most porting services are going to want somewhere near $1000.

With a good valve job and bowl blend they're typically in the 270-280cfm range.

I ported my W-2s.. but I had access to a flow
bench and some good porting guys to tell me
where to work.. when I finished they were 305
cfm at .600.. I could have got a bit more but
I had a issue in the pinch and broke through
so I quit(had to tube that port).. I bought
TD rockers.. did have a roller cam in it and
made 595 hp and 525 torque on the dyno.. I later
changed the cam to a solid flat tappet and now I
think its making 560 hp and 520 tq.. but I didnt
go back on the dyno... with the injection working
now this engine is MUCH snappier than with the roller
cam and the carb(850 holley).. this thing is finally
coming around

I think for this level of performance, something like the Indy/TA head is a better path.
For around $2600 you get the whole head pkg.

Fix the valve job, do some minor porting........ Should be pretty easy to make 600hp from a 408/416 combo, and not have iron heads.

With those TA heads.. what is the package and what do
they flow.. I assume this is a non ported head.. I'd
like to knock 40# off the front end.. also what intake
does it use... right now all my junk is W-2 or W-5

Looks like I am going a different direction. A board member has offered me a deal on some Eddie heads, intake, and rockers.

Ok, thanks, so a full porting and all material, not including heads can be in and around 2K. Correct? Thanks.

I would say for all the parts to assemble the heads, the labor to prep and finish the heads, along with a basic full port and polish, would start at $2000.
That would be for parts that would be considered mid-level at best.
You could easily add another $1000 or more with valves made from exotic materials, or premium nitrided springs and the really high end Ti retainers.
You can easily spend over $800 on just the springs and retainers.
So, for $2000 parts and labor, you're getting pretty basic stuff.

Oh OK then. I don't see myself spending that much money on my heads. Nothing exotic and crazy. I see the springs, retainers and locks as part of the cam cost purchase. Once I get an idea of what cam I'll be using, then I normally get the whole package from the company. Unless, which is sometimes the case, the need/want for a taller spring installed height. But it all gets done together for the most part. Heads and cam.

I myself would be looking at a street beast, not a race machine. They would be going on top of a stroker, 430+ cubes to move a B body very well.

Sounds like it could easily be done to fit within that $2000 price then.

Thanks!