Maybe, maybe not. Do the 73 heads have the Center coolant scallop? Some 73 heads do and others do not.
The early blocks don’t have the area to support the gasket for the later heads. It’s a dead end coolant port however the gasket needs support or it will pour coolant into the crankcase. I don’t have any head pics handy but the later heads have an extras coolant port which eliminated the cracking issue from the early heads.
I was thinking of using my original '71 heads, but at some point, years ago, it had seats pressed in, and the machine shop wont install my larger valves because of the pressed in seats. Guess I'll either port my current irons or examine a virgin set of '78 heads I have, which I know for sure have the extra cooling hole
Without properly porting the heads you might as well leave the stock sizes valves. Without flow testing equipment it’s impossible to balance them out to be similar to each other. Home porting may or may not help. I’m still surprised you aren’t getting the alum heads, investing $ into porting those would seem like the best option. We are at 300 CFM intake flow already, more to be found.
I already have TA's bigger valves in the heads that are on the engine, along with the heads being cut .030, crossovers plugged, intakes port matched, and the intake side milled to align the intake manifold properly, but the bowls and ports were never worked. I agree with you the aluminums are the way to go for max effort, but the cost is stupid expensive. I had 2000 down, waited almost 2 years, then another 800 to go to complete the purchase, then another 1700 for the level 2 porting, then more for the bigger 2.02 and 1.6 valves, and more for the newer studs, then more for the rocker alignment "kit" Also shipping, what would that cost?? I had a lot of time to rationalize all this (waiting) and the more I thought about it, this isnt fun anymore doing it this way, spending thousands upon thousands to bolt a part on when I can attain increased performance working with what I have. TA's big block heads are the cats meow, buy 'em, bolt 'em on, and BAM, your a hero Biggest deal breaker for me was the wait, the more I waited, the more time I had to think about how stupid this idea is
I would have bought the heads and bolted them on, that is what you do when you buy a set of aftermarket heads. Buying them and reporting them is just plain stupid. They have to be way better than that stock crap and they should be as good as your ported stock heads. According to the out of box numbers they are very close to my ported heads. Up the engine to 11.1 comp and bolt those suckers on! If I was going to port them it would be on the next rebuild or when you feel like you want more power. This site has everyone convinced that you need to port these heads before they will perform, bullshit. Do you all think we go down to Summit Racing and buy a set of Chevy or Ford Aluminum heads and take them home and go have them ported before putting them on? The answer is NO! Why the hell do I need to do that, it is the reason I bought the aluminum heads in the first place, To Make It FASTER. So hey buddy up north, how about forgetting that max effort crap and bolt those heads on the warmed over stock motor and go do the testing and stop babbling. I have been hearing it for too long now and it is time to get the Show on the Road and stop making this site look like a piece of crap with this 350 garbage of just talking about it. I am about to stick my 3rd cam in this engine and it might just put the motor to the yard. I got a 455 waiting for entry but I got a lot of faith in this 350. This 350 section is about the deadest area here. lots of talk but not much action. Grumpy a** signing off.
Exactly! For just a few hundred bucks Im gonna do my current irons (port 'em) maybe it will perform better, maybe not, but I'll find out and enjoy the time in the garage. Pouring 5 6 or 7 grand into an engines heads for an occasional track blast is STUPID, Im not racing for points or money, I do TNT for fun. At least I'll know if I did good or not before I die
You can do it Mark. Or for 6k you can go 6.2 stroker, 435 hp. with warranty https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Blue...T4qEfmaswWu8FL-Fghr68qRIJ49mrxqBoCmvMQAvD_BwE
Thanks Mart, Im pretty sure I know what to look for and address now when looking at my heads. Im a thinker, as time passes and situations remain the same, I think of better ways, or a way to correct something.............Reason I cancelled my heads, I had time to think "this is ridiculous" Same with my current irons " Already have the big valves, all machining and tweaking is already done, like clearancing the rocker towers for my rollers" Jay Michael went fast with a 3.42 gear and max ported irons, then he changed to a 4 series gear, then TA's aluminums, my point being is the potential IS there with irons verses aluminum, at the level Jay was with his irons, the biggest advantage going to the aluminums was probably weight savings, his irons flowed that well
Makes sense, but who's a pro withing driving distance and is enthusiastic to port iron 350 Buick heads? Im not shipping them anywhere, hell, a company wanted 189.00 bucks to ship a 24" exhaust fan, imagine over 100 lbs. of iron? I WILL ship them from my engine stand to my bench Im a pro at this, just not experienced at porting, but I have a good idea, just need good execution
Blow colored smoke thru the port to see how it is coming out seal the port, open the valve to 500 lift and blow some colored smoke in there and see how it comes out. take a video then see if all the cylinders are the same or what is different in each one . Then port it some and check it again, You never done this it is easy lol Why not ask at Michael's racing or get a hold Gary Paine up in Chardon and see what he can tell you. He uses a shop over there near that area I think that was Francis Engineering there?
