TT350

Good morning guys.
I have a 96 T/A with a bad head on it.
I bought a Cadillac Fleetwood motor with a knock.
I’m putting the iron heads on my T/A.

Casting # 12554290
The chambers look larger that the aluminum heads that come off
my T/A.

I have searched the web and Tech for the chamber volume on the iron heads
with no luck.

Searching the casting # turns up flow #’s, applications, years used but no chamber volume.

Anybody know anything about these heads?

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

May I ask why?

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

The cast iron Lt1 heads are 64cc, they flow very well similar to the Lt4 head but the sacrifice is weight and they do not dissipate heat near as well as the aluminum Lt1 head. Whats with the swap?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

62-64cc depending who you ask. Make sure to use a thin head gasket like the Victor Rienz/Mr. Gasket or the stock iron head gasket. The aluminum head gasket is really thick.

Far as the heat dissipation, all heat absorbed by the head, piston or block is WASTED energy not used to push the piston. Why do you think people try coatings on chambers and exhaust ports and such??? To stop the aluminum heads from absorbing heat.

I am not saying iron is better or aluminum is bad, just trying to destroy this common argument based on a complete lack of understanding.

The iron head motors are 10.0 compression with their .029 gasket, the aluminum head motors are 10.4 with a .049 gasket. The Victor Rienz/Mr. Gasket gasket is .026.
Use the thin gasket and a cleanup milling on the heads and you should be able to get 10.2 without any trouble and bet you can't tell the difference from the stock aluminum head motor. IMO the 45lbs extra the iron heads weigh is meaningless on a street car. If you were worried about track times then you might worry about what it does to weight transfer but for a pure driver who cares.

TT350

One of the stock aluminum heads had a exhaust valve seat come loose.
The cadi motor is laying around in the shop so I’m going to put the heads to good use.

I don’t buy into the heat dissipation theory.

I was told buy a guy that they where 64cc’s.
My research on these heads is showing them to flow better than the aluminum ones.
After getting them off and comparing to the iron heads I can see they are better in combustion chamber area as the intake valve is unshrouded compared to the aluminum
heads.

The iron heads look like version of the Vortec head.
It looks like the only advantage of the aluminum heads are weight.

I’ve got plans for the cadi motor, 9:1 383 + turbo+ 6-8 psi = 10 sec daily driver.
Hard to get 9:1 with stock aluminum heads with a 383 using off the shelf parts.

Right now I’m just getting the car running.

stevo9389

if you are going to invest the money in iron heads then heavily consider having the press in rocker studs tapped for screw in ones.

TT350

I drilled and pinned the studs, old school trick.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Far as the aluminum heads dissipating heat, it is true that aluminum does dissipate heat better BUT as I explained all heat that escapes the chamber is WASTED.

Don't get me wrong IMO the Advanced Induction ported aluminum heads are the best choice for the overwhelming majority of us.

I just think the arguments put out there against the iron heads are usually unsound. Most of the kids around here seem to have hurt feeling about the lowly b-body getting a similar engine so they have to make up "reasons" to cut it down.

TT350

Ya I know what mean about the kids.
Check the links in my sig, this is not my first rodeo.
I've built more SBC's that most have driven.

All I was looking for was some info and I get why are you doing that,
that won't work.

NewOrleansLT1

going to Iron heads aren't that bad if you are not really into racing your car. but you are also going to lose a little compression, your not going to have angled plugs, your going to gain 40-50lbs, pressed in studs, poor heat dissipation, and its going to be hard to find a porter...

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

In other words you didn't read anything he wrote did you?