[quote=BradH
So, what's going thru my mind here?
1. Lower flowing heads with better velocity can peform as well as -- or better than -- higher flowing heads with less velocity... IF used with the appropriate application
Here's where you can get tripped up---higher flow equals higher velocity. You need to look at discharge co-efficient for a better view.2. Impressive flow #s won't help as much for limited-displacement applications that aren't able to take full advantage of the head's potential
Of course not. A more accurate statement would be RPM limited3. It's a balancing act of optimizing what you have (or are required to use) and minimizing the compromises that go along with it
100% agree4. Be careful what you wish for
Don't fall into the bigger is better trap5. The numbers on the dyno may not translate to the numbers on the ET slip... or, at least, not the way you were expecting them to
See #4What got me thinking about this?
1. The recent dyno session of my new combination, which is a 452 RB w/ standard-port E Victor heads and my first time using a solid roller w/ a street/strip car
2. My review & analysis of the 2008 Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge where the engines were limited to stock-stroke 440-based builds, required to use Indy SR heads, and run on Rockett-brand 93 octane fuel. There was a wide range of outcomes as far as final parts combinations and dyno results, but I saw some of the same performance characteristics with almost all the builds.
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http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0910-2008-amsoil-mopar-muscle-engine-challenge-wrapup and the invdividual articles that were written about each entry
3. An article I read about the Kaase P51 BBF heads for the 429-460 platform when these heads were introduced around 2007. That test used OOB P51 heads on a basic 460 performance rebuild w/ an aggressive -- although not especially big duration -- solid roller, and made close to 700 HP on pump gas and about 600 torque.
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http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0707phr-p51-cylinder-heads/Keep in mind that my understanding is that all of these builds, irrespective of brand, were "supposed" to be targeted to what I'll call "real-world serious street/strip applications" that were expected to get by on pump fuel if required, although a blend of race fuel might be needed on track day.
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J.Rob