AFR 260cc on a 6.0?
Bang for buck heads that would work great (obviously big money heads would work great)
TFS as cast 220's
Texas Speed as cast 227's (be a good middle ground between all the options)
Stock LS3's
GMPP LS3's (I'm with you, super cheap but haven't heard anything, good or bad, about them)
Ultimate bang for buck would be LS3 heads since you can make great power with a stock LS3 manifold. I'd prefer one of the cathedral setups but then you need to spend 1500 on an intake and throttle body.
LS3's with an LS3 manifold and the right cam would make great power for little $$$$, may give up a little low end to the cathedrals and a little under the curve, but at WOT the LS3 setup will be great.
Milling heads and thin head gaskets will get your compression up some, with a decent sized cam I'd shoot/hope for around 11:1 static compression. Which changes everything, you'll need a lot of milling to get there. That being said, you may want to get some flat tops to swap in it, or bore it to 4.065 and put LS3 pistons in it.
Surely that just makes everything much more confusing lol
TFS as cast 220's
Texas Speed as cast 227's (be a good middle ground between all the options)
Stock LS3's
GMPP LS3's (I'm with you, super cheap but haven't heard anything, good or bad, about them)
Ultimate bang for buck would be LS3 heads since you can make great power with a stock LS3 manifold. I'd prefer one of the cathedral setups but then you need to spend 1500 on an intake and throttle body.
LS3's with an LS3 manifold and the right cam would make great power for little $$$$, may give up a little low end to the cathedrals and a little under the curve, but at WOT the LS3 setup will be great.
Milling heads and thin head gaskets will get your compression up some, with a decent sized cam I'd shoot/hope for around 11:1 static compression. Which changes everything, you'll need a lot of milling to get there. That being said, you may want to get some flat tops to swap in it, or bore it to 4.065 and put LS3 pistons in it.
Surely that just makes everything much more confusing lol
Last edited by 00pooterSS; Oct 15, 2018 at 07:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Bang for buck heads that would work great
TFS as cast 220's
Texas Speed as cast 227's (be a good middle ground between all the options)
Stock LS3's
GMPP LS3's (I'm with you, super cheap but haven't heard anything, good or bad, about them)
Ultimate bang for buck would be LS3 heads since you can make great power with a stock LS3 manifold. I'd prefer one of the cathedral setups but then you need to spend 1500 on an intake and throttle body.
LS3's with an LS3 manifold and the right cam would make great power for little $$$$, may give up a little low end to the cathedrals and a little under the curve, but at WOT the LS3 setup will be great.
Milling heads and thin head gaskets will get your compression up some, with a decent sized cam I'd shoot/hope for around 11:1 static compression. Which changes everything, you'll need a lot of milling to get there. That being said, you may want to get some flat tops to swap in it, or bore it to 4.065 and put LS3 pistons in it.
Surely that just makes everything much more confusing lol
TFS as cast 220's
Texas Speed as cast 227's (be a good middle ground between all the options)
Stock LS3's
GMPP LS3's (I'm with you, super cheap but haven't heard anything, good or bad, about them)
Ultimate bang for buck would be LS3 heads since you can make great power with a stock LS3 manifold. I'd prefer one of the cathedral setups but then you need to spend 1500 on an intake and throttle body.
LS3's with an LS3 manifold and the right cam would make great power for little $$$$, may give up a little low end to the cathedrals and a little under the curve, but at WOT the LS3 setup will be great.
Milling heads and thin head gaskets will get your compression up some, with a decent sized cam I'd shoot/hope for around 11:1 static compression. Which changes everything, you'll need a lot of milling to get there. That being said, you may want to get some flat tops to swap in it, or bore it to 4.065 and put LS3 pistons in it.
Surely that just makes everything much more confusing lol
1. Room for growth.
2. Intake options/availability.
Down the road if this thing evolves into a 408 stroker I'll be happy I went with the LS3 Head - and not have to buy new ones.
I've actually been on the phone with TSP, they recommended their As-Cast PRC LS3 Head. Upgrade the valve to hollow intake, includes a cam for $2500. Doesn't seem too bad to me? I know there will be some power loss on the low end. According to TSP, the heads can be milled to 64cc to maintain adequate P to V clearance for no additional cost, running the calcs on Wallace Racing Compression calc it comes out to about 10.5:1 using a .045 gasket. (estimated .008 out of the hole) Is .035 the magic quench number like on SBC?
Last edited by Pwnage1337; Oct 15, 2018 at 07:16 PM.
I was looking at the CNC'd GMPP LS9 heads, since the car is going to end up being boosted but it looks like the GMPP CNC Ported LS3 and LS9 heads both carry a 276cc runner.
Edit:
The GMPP LS3 heads come with a hollow intake valve. Seems to be a cheap way to get into hollow intake valve. Complete heads are only 570 dollars each, but springs would have to be changed out, max lift is .550.
https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/parts/12629063.html These are the non CNC'd heads, so the runner is 260cc. No idea what they flow compared to the CNC ones. Can't really find any information on either of them.
Edit:
The GMPP LS3 heads come with a hollow intake valve. Seems to be a cheap way to get into hollow intake valve. Complete heads are only 570 dollars each, but springs would have to be changed out, max lift is .550.
https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/parts/12629063.html These are the non CNC'd heads, so the runner is 260cc. No idea what they flow compared to the CNC ones. Can't really find any information on either of them.
Personally I would take the AFR over gmpp for the port velocity. But thats me.
I honestly think tfs235 is likely your best bet on a 6.0 for s good broad power curve. Boost or NA
I honestly think tfs235 is likely your best bet on a 6.0 for s good broad power curve. Boost or NA
10 Second Club
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,427
Likes: 226
From: over dere
GMPP Ls3 heads need cubes or rpm to work so you need to man up to run them.
Basically most 255-260cc aftermarket ls3 heads are similar. Edge to mast. Their medium bore ls3’s are probably the pick of the litter
If you want to stay in the 6500 rpm range id probably go mast smalll bore ls3’s on a 6.0
tfs 235’s if you’re on a budget
but ls3 intakes are just so much better than cathedral
Basically most 255-260cc aftermarket ls3 heads are similar. Edge to mast. Their medium bore ls3’s are probably the pick of the litter
If you want to stay in the 6500 rpm range id probably go mast smalll bore ls3’s on a 6.0
tfs 235’s if you’re on a budget
but ls3 intakes are just so much better than cathedral
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
GMPP Ls3 heads need cubes or rpm to work so you need to man up to run them.
Basically most 255-260cc aftermarket ls3 heads are similar. Edge to mast. Their medium bore ls3’s are probably the pick of the litter
If you want to stay in the 6500 rpm range id probably go mast smalll bore ls3’s on a 6.0
tfs 235’s if you’re on a budget
but ls3 intakes are just so much better than cathedral
Basically most 255-260cc aftermarket ls3 heads are similar. Edge to mast. Their medium bore ls3’s are probably the pick of the litter
If you want to stay in the 6500 rpm range id probably go mast smalll bore ls3’s on a 6.0
tfs 235’s if you’re on a budget
but ls3 intakes are just so much better than cathedral
If it were me, I would go with a 706/862 head. I think the higher compression from the small chamber cathedral heads would be better than the higher flow numbers from the LS3 heads. The LS3 heads might make a nice peak horsepower number, but the higher compression will make more average power across a larger RPM range.
If it were me, I would go with a 706/862 head. I think the higher compression from the small chamber cathedral heads would be better than the higher flow numbers from the LS3 heads. The LS3 heads might make a nice peak horsepower number, but the higher compression will make more average power across a larger RPM range.
Just my thoughts
-Mavn
TFS 235's would be nice but you'll need a big money intake and TB to make it worth buying them. Brian Tooley and TEA sell the 235's and the 255's (LS3) for around $2800 assembled with valves and springs.
Sounds like you want a good (not best possible) head for right now that you'll grow into and bang for buck is really important, in that case there's no point spending 2-3k (or more) additional on a heads/intake combo that will net you a little better/snappier driveability and a little more power for a big increase in money.
That being the case go for some LS3's and LS3 intake and have fun with it. I don't know anything about the TSP LS3's but good heads, with springs etc and cam for $2500 is a deal for sure. Especially if you consider you're getting a $400 cam and $300 springs. That means you're into brand new ported heads $1800. Not gonna beat that unless you do the GMPP LS3's.
Do consider that the better the heads and intake combo work now, the better it will work boosted as well, that's the only caveat really to consider. I think you're on the right track with the TSP LS3 setup, some of these other guys can chime in too on that, so far you have some of the best on the board in here. I did just see that TSP's LS3 heads aren't just ported heads, they are fresh castings with a 13 degree valve angle and 255cc ports (higher velocity that stock LS3 ports), hard to beat all that for the price.
Sounds like you want a good (not best possible) head for right now that you'll grow into and bang for buck is really important, in that case there's no point spending 2-3k (or more) additional on a heads/intake combo that will net you a little better/snappier driveability and a little more power for a big increase in money.
That being the case go for some LS3's and LS3 intake and have fun with it. I don't know anything about the TSP LS3's but good heads, with springs etc and cam for $2500 is a deal for sure. Especially if you consider you're getting a $400 cam and $300 springs. That means you're into brand new ported heads $1800. Not gonna beat that unless you do the GMPP LS3's.
Do consider that the better the heads and intake combo work now, the better it will work boosted as well, that's the only caveat really to consider. I think you're on the right track with the TSP LS3 setup, some of these other guys can chime in too on that, so far you have some of the best on the board in here. I did just see that TSP's LS3 heads aren't just ported heads, they are fresh castings with a 13 degree valve angle and 255cc ports (higher velocity that stock LS3 ports), hard to beat all that for the price.
Originally Posted by Pwnage1337
Any concern with valve clearance with .639? That's a **** load of lift
