You might need to re read Mikes post again

No stat during test or dyno runs. No issue with Edelbrock heads, only the Trick Flow heads. We also tried a Shogun stand alone pump with the same results, so I'm reluctant to blame the water pump in this case. For all I know, there may be something hinky in the block passages that I couldn't see. No matter, I gave the customer instructions to purge the air and avoid overheating once he gets it in the car.

I had a issue on all of my W-type heads... I had a
piece of clear plexi tubing in the upper radiator
hose to see if water was moving... I would run the
engine(in the car) and get it to about 140* and shut
it down.. then turn on the pump(electric) and it would
start to flow..let the pump run about 5 minutes then fire
up the engine... once it purged the air it never had any
more issues unless I drained the water.. and had to do it
all over again... but the clear tube was a BIG HELP

a number of companies offer a shop air supplied vacuum cooling system filler eg: Snap-on #SVTRAD262 (theirs is a little spendy but the are others more reasonable). There are some oem systems that are more than ugly to purge-early VW Rabbits come to mind, this system WORKS-no starting up, running then cooling down, crossing your fingers etc, it does it in one shot-you won't even spill anti-freeze on the belts then have to fool around trying to get that embarassing noise out

Mike, That's pretty much what I had to do, sans the clear tube. That would have been a big help. On the test stand, I would start the motor and the temp would slowly start coming up and then start climbing rapidly, so I would shut it down. I had to repeat that about five or six times. Not such a big deal on a roller cam, but now I'm working on a flat tappet build with these heads, and I don't want to be shutting it down multiple times during the cam break in. A judiciously placed bleeder port would be a good idea, if I knew where judicious was.

Don, not a bad idea, but I don't have one because I've never needed one before. Surprisingly, no, I've never hotrodded a VW Rabbit . We used to drive a diesel Rabbit like it was a hotrod though. I might have to invest in one for instances like this.

Here are the first set of 1.70 rocker arms for the Trick Flow heads. Everything looks good so far, plenty of clearance everywhere. I'll need to order some shorter pushrods but otherwise I think it is ready to go.

.789 lift? Different cam?

Nope, same cam with .445 lobe lift. The HS rocker arms measure about 1.75 ratio on a checking spring. I haven't checked them with a load yet but they'll probably drop into the .760 range fully loaded. So I might end up with .740 net lift after lash. I'll double check it after I get the correct pushrods.

These are Harland sharp on stock TF pedestals right?

Yes, Harland Sharp rocker arms on OOTB Trick Flow heads. No machine work required. Just need to order the correct pushrods and it should work. I'm using the Trick Flow roller cam retainers in the picture and everything clears.

Mopar Muscle has their Trick Flow article out now: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/1606-440-chrysler-dyno-test-trick-flow-heads-and-intake/

Maybe I've been asleep for the last ten years, but is this statement from the article believable?

" That’s a bit shy of TFS’s claim, but if nothing else, it does bear out the stingy nature of Westech’s Superflow dynamometer."

Nah, Mr. Stiltskin

I was aghast at both that and the fact that HotRod's(HR) and Trick Flow's(TF) flow bench results were identical. They corresponded(a good word in this instance *ahem*) right down to the last CFM. Shocking! Methinks that HR may have simply co-opted the TF data. (I need that whistling smiley..there we are)

Is this what passes for automotive hi-performance journalism? It appears so..

Maybe S. Dulcich can be consulted on this matter.

On Edit: I'm not that new..I had an account a decade ago, but lost my username and log-on creds. So this is a new beginning..hopefully

Hate to throw cold water on Todd's conspiracy theory, but nowhere in the article does the magazine claim that the flow bench numbers were produced by the author.

The stingy Westech dyno comment does fly in the face of Internet wisdom. However, it is nice to have the same dyno and operator used for so many tests as it can be eliminated as a factor in comparisons.

R.

this might be the same short block on the same dyno using a similar camshaft but factory rocker arms and edelbrock RPM heads...

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/1412-how-you-can-build-a-stout-537hp-street-440/

Very similiar shortblocks but Steve says the TF engine has TRW pistons while the older article says Probe pistons. Otherwise they seem to be the same shortblock.

oh yeah i see that now, missed that caption last night

What is everyone's thoughts on the TF heads on a smaller bore: Say 4.280?

A friend and I are knocking around ideas a street/strip build and his one fundamental wish is to use his current 383 block, with a stroker kit.

Discuss...

Screwing one together right now. I just finished the short block, and will complete the top end after the holiday. The bores really need to be notched for a 4.280" bore.