When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I plan on going more in depth with my 98 ws6 than i have on my previous f bodies, i have an ls6 intake laying around that i havent done yet but in the distant future i will do a FAST and a yet undecided head choice. I dont understand the differences between the catherdral port and the rectangular/square port design. Are there different FAST port designs for the same 102 or 92 intake? I was planning on a set of mild ported 243/799s or spend the money for a pair of tsp heads but i dont know what port style i should be getting for what will be a 228r cammed bolt on car with a stall.
Id stay cathedral, if you can afford a TFS set of heads that would be a good bet. Alternatively porting the heads you already have would be good also. AI, WCCH, and TEA have a proven reputation for cnc porting.
still has the stock 98 heads. a set of ported 241s would be a cheap upgrade but if im going down that road I might as well set it right the first time and ge the best I can out of it without breaking the bank, which is why the 243s come into mind. I see 243s for sale all the time coming from 5.3 truck engines and some from vettes. I assume all 243s port designs are not the same? The TSP heads have caught my eye but was unsure on exactly which ones I should be looking for when it comes to cc and all. my basic understanding correct me if im wrong is that a smaller cc raises compression ratio and increases power on N/A motors where as larger intake and cc numbers lower it for FI motors. the overall goal for this car is a rebuild of the engine and a moderate N/A H/C/I build no FI with a small chance of getting the bottle in the future.
Smaller chamber volume will raise compression, larger volume will lower it obviously.
Larger port volume will usually make more top end power at the expense of low end power. Smaller ports will usually do the opposite. There are plenty of exceptions as this is a VERY general guideline. You can go too big of a port to where you aren't turning enough RPM to take advantage of the port, or running too small of a cam, manifold, etc. You would probably be just fine with a 220-230cc runner.
Honestly, for a fun bolt-on car with a stock LS1 shortblock, I would recommend the West Coast Cylinder Head (WCCH) stage two 5.3 heads. They have a 213cc intake runner, 1.95" stainless intake valves and 1.575" stainless exhaust valves, and they flow over 280cfm. The heads are actually designed to maximize flow on the 4.8/5.3 smaller 3.78" bore size. Using them on an LS1, with a 3.9" bore, will unshroud the valves and increase flow. The small combustion chambers will increase compression. And they only cost $1100, which is a steal for what you're getting.
Then just make sure you get the proper thickness of head gasket to set up optimal quench and get a good dyno tune.
That's what I thought. So it never made sense to me that we would take a 5.7 l engine and put heads from a 5.3 l engine on our engine. I understood that this tactic works for some people because it probably increases compression. But i don't think it is a setup that you can grow with.
That's what I thought. So it never made sense to me that we would take a 5.7 l engine and put heads from a 5.3 l engine on our engine. I understood that this tactic works for some people because it probably increases compression. But i don't think it is a setup that you can grow with. I'm still trying to learn though.
there are companies that take the 5.3 heads and port them out to make very good budget heads for the 5.7.
The 706,862 heads flow the same as the 853,241 heads, so you lose nothing and gain compression, even without porting.
The ported truck heads offer plenty of room to grow, unless you are talking about eventually stepping up to, or "growing", into a 383 stroker. Then, just get some Trick Flow Specialties 220 "fast-as-cast" heads from Brian Tooley, and be done.
The TFS 220's are excellent heads for a 5.7, as well.
That being said, I still think the WCCH stage two 5.3 heads would serve you very well, and for the price, they are definitely worth looking into.
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Slideshow: The controversial Ferrari F6 swaps its original flat-12 for a Corvette Z06-derived LT4 V8 and sends power to four rear wheels through a custom-built drivetrain.
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Slideshow:These GM engines didn't just make huge power, they survived abuse, boost, track days, and six-digit mileage with a reputation for refusing to quit.
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.
School me on head/intake ports 
