LS2Monte

iTrader: (4)

I have a stock bottom end LQ4 with stock 243 heads. I'm running a Futural F14 cam on a 112 (232/234 .598/.598), TR pushrods, Victor Jr EFI, 1000cfm 4bbl TB, 42lb SVO's, and 1 3/4in long tubes. This combo, not fully tuned, has pushed my 3600lb car (with driver) to 11.53 @117. I'm very happy with those numbers.

Anyways, over the winter I am refreshing the bottom end (main,rod,cam bearings) and am debating doing some upgrading to the top end.

Would it be worth upgrading to L92/LS3 heads or just sending my heads out for a cleanup? I would have to pickup a new manifold for the square port heads plus I would benefit even more with larger headers. Dollar for dollar, I'm thinking just having my heads ported would put me inline with stock L92/LS3 flow numbers and make similar power. I do not plan on changing cams (which I understand square port heads tend to like different valve timing than cath. heads). I also do not plan on swapping pistons for a higher CC, still keeping this budget.

Anyways, whats everyones input? My ultimate goal would be bottom 11s NA and I plan on hitting it with a 150 to a 200hp plate kit.

garygnu

great numbers ,I think your most cost effective plan is to port the 243 heads and retune it.

vidal77boxing

iTrader: (15)

port the 243 heads. LS3 castings are good but you will need intake to match square ports and a new cam to optimize the set up.

ctd

iTrader: (1)

It looks like your cam would favor the cathedral port heads. Not being familiar with your intake I'm assuming you would not have to change that either.

Myself I like the under curve results of that combination. Some good discussion going on in a couple of threads regarding the different style of heads.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I honestly don't think porting those heads alone would yield half a second reduction in E.T.

LS2Monte

iTrader: (4)

The intake I have now is for cathedral ports so I'd have to spend another $380 for the right one. I could do the entire swap for about $1300 and then sell my intake, 243s, and the set of 317s I have off the motor. But like mentioned, I'd have to change cams to really take advantage of the heads. Then I'd be back down to 9.5-1 compression unless I milled .030 or so off the LS3 heads.

I don't want to sink a hole lot of money into this motor. Ultimately I'd like to run 11.30s with it NA and smack it with a 150-200hp plate kit to hunt for bottom 10s. I'd expect with a typical porting I could muster that. With good tuning I bet I could get a 11.4x out of it pretty easily as it sits.

180ls1

iTrader: (4)

I would just run ported 243's. I also would look into having them milled and the valves sunk deeper to clearance the cam because you will want to up your compression at the same time. You could also flycut if needed.

eray

+1 This would be my route. To change over to ls3 style heads would require changing the whole top end.

LS2Monte

iTrader: (4)

After thinking and crunching the numbers, sticking with the 243s is the way to go.

Now I need to figure out whats the best bang for the buck. I have LS2 243 heads with PACK1518 springs. I'm sticking with the stock valves and the rest of the valvetrain. If I have them ported, I will just ship them out, but to who? Texas? TEA?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Lots of porting options>>>>> TEA, PRC, Patriot, WCCH, etc. All located to the right.