408 build what heads
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Teching In
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408 build what heads building a 408 stroker and looking for some rectangle port heads and cam package. what would be a good choice for under $5000 and who texas speed or btr
this will be a street driven car but not a dd
this will be a street driven car but not a dd
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Need more info. Need more engine specs how much rpm and how much track vs street time.
Generally they do well with a 225 head for a street car and plastic intake.
For rectangle I would go small bore mast but it will be softer down low.
Generally they do well with a 225 head for a street car and plastic intake.
For rectangle I would go small bore mast but it will be softer down low.
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The best legit PROVEN cam I've seen period in a 402 to 416 is the BTR 239/254 stroker cam. The cam has been 10s in the quarter (all 6 speed cars) with untouched LS3 heads, CNC ported LS3 heads and aftermarket LS3 heads.
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Depends on one's definition of street car, and the compromises in drive ability one is willing to make..
Better heads and smaller cam make for better street manners at a slight cost premium.
Still more than enough power to go 10s in decent conditions with proper suspension set up.
I stand by my suggestion.
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OP said street driven, not necessarily 10 second drag car.
Depends on one's definition of street car, and the compromises in drive ability one is willing to make..
Better heads and smaller cam make for better street manners at a slight cost premium.
Still more than enough power to go 10s in decent conditions with proper suspension set up.
I stand by my suggestion.
Depends on one's definition of street car, and the compromises in drive ability one is willing to make..
Better heads and smaller cam make for better street manners at a slight cost premium.
Still more than enough power to go 10s in decent conditions with proper suspension set up.
I stand by my suggestion.
Car gets driven daily without any problems at all. Just a 416ci LS3 grocery getter that happens to run 10s with untouched LS3 heads and GM LS3 intake.
My buddy has the btr 239/254 cam in his 408 stroker. He has trickflow heads and it’s in a 6 speed car. He drives the car I’d say at least 3-4 times a week all over the place no problems at all. Car had ac in it until this past winter then he took it out. He had no problem running the ac in the hot summer with that cam either. Just a suggestion that has a lot of track times in mutiple rectangular port heads setups like tusky said.
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Teching In
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car will never be a track car. i am looking for something i can have fun light to light and take a 200 mile trip with. waiting on engine builder to get block finished so we can figure out what parts to get. are the aftermarket heads worth the cost difference over ported gm ls3 heads
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From: Bossier City, Louisiana
For what you are trying to do, stock LS3 heads and intake will be the most economical and will get the job done. Ported heads will make more power and aftermarket will probably make more than that. But how much do you want to spend for that power?
FYI I had similar goals for my ‘64 (unfinished) Malibu. Not a DD, not a race car, as quick as possible but still able to cruise 200 miles. I already had LS3 heads and intake. I paid $25 to have Pat G spec a grind. It was very close to the BTR stage III
FYI I had similar goals for my ‘64 (unfinished) Malibu. Not a DD, not a race car, as quick as possible but still able to cruise 200 miles. I already had LS3 heads and intake. I paid $25 to have Pat G spec a grind. It was very close to the BTR stage III
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I disagree. OP I just went through this myself. Aftermarket Cathedrals will make more power and retain lots of low end grunt. Those ls2 trickflows paired with a fast 102 will out perform gm ls3 castings on the track and make more torque down low which is also a very big deal at partial throttle driveability as well. Its all about airspeed. The trickflows or AFR heads will flow more cubic feet of air per minute through a smaller port with a smaller, lighter valve in the same amount of time.
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Okay. But that’s a $2000 head and $900 intake versus an $800 head and $300 intake. If you want the better parts that’s fine but OP has to decide if 40hp is worth $1800. For me, doing a restomod I had plenty of other places to spend my money. It’s all relative to what you want.
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I disagree. OP I just went through this myself. Aftermarket Cathedrals will make more power and retain lots of low end grunt. Those ls2 trickflows paired with a fast 102 will out perform gm ls3 castings on the track and make more torque down low which is also a very big deal at partial throttle driveability as well. Its all about airspeed. The trickflows or AFR heads will flow more cubic feet of air per minute through a smaller port with a smaller, lighter valve in the same amount of time.
Yes. These are my thoughts exactly. I'm glad I read through the post, to not sound redundant. I have tuned a fair amount of low 400 cube LS motors and I can guarantee if you drove a ported cathedral setup vs just about any Gen 4 head on the STREET, you'd want to go with the ported cathedrals. Don't get me wrong, you CAN mate a cam and a nice set of Ls3 heads and make some power. Probably more power on the dyno than cathedrals will produce. But the fact of the matter is all that power will only show up around 6k-7k RPM... Unless you're smokey the bandit, my guess is most of your street driving will be below that. Regardless of the power, Ported cathedrals have also proven to be faster at the track on 408 and smaller LS engines.
If it were me, I would get a set of Trickflow 230cc heads. And a 235/243 cam on a 113 lobe sep. Something around a .620 to .625 lift on the intake. You will be pretty happy with this setup due to the fact that it's a decent sized cam. Perfectly paired for the heads and it has fairly low overlap. Your on street driving characteristics will not drive you into not enjoying the car, like some of the cams with large overlaps tend to do. You can match this setup up with a FAST or Holley 102mm and a 92mm or 102mm TB and call it a day. Just stay away from the cheap chinese 102mm TB's or go with a 92mm.
For the street and not for the track?
For fun and great driveabilty on the street?
Not worried about peak dyno numbers to brag about?
Avoid breaking the bank account?
Sounds like we need a good LS tow truck engine
~$1,450 for a set of TEA S2 heads which every you
~$650 for a good 90/92mm intake
~ $425 custom spec'd cam for the above probably with?the intake in 232 to 238 range and exhaust in the 236 to 242 range.
Or
$1000 for Reher Morrison ported LS3 heads with good valves and springs
$400 to $800 for LS3 cores
$300 for LS3 intake or truck intake
~ $425 custom spec'd cam for the above probably with?the intake in 230 to 235 range and exhaust in the 238 to 250 range.
Neither will be a star on paper or on the dyno but either will be fun on the street and not break the budget. Either will be within $500 of the other.
There are a lot of ways to reach the OP's stated goals.
For fun and great driveabilty on the street?
Not worried about peak dyno numbers to brag about?
Avoid breaking the bank account?
Sounds like we need a good LS tow truck engine
~$1,450 for a set of TEA S2 heads which every you
- 706 with 2.04 intake valves and good springs
- 243 with 2.04 intake valves and good springs
~$650 for a good 90/92mm intake
- Ported TBSS
- 90mm snout LS6
- Ported Dorman LS2
- Fast 90/92
~ $425 custom spec'd cam for the above probably with?the intake in 232 to 238 range and exhaust in the 236 to 242 range.
Or
$1000 for Reher Morrison ported LS3 heads with good valves and springs
$400 to $800 for LS3 cores
$300 for LS3 intake or truck intake
~ $425 custom spec'd cam for the above probably with?the intake in 230 to 235 range and exhaust in the 238 to 250 range.
Neither will be a star on paper or on the dyno but either will be fun on the street and not break the budget. Either will be within $500 of the other.
There are a lot of ways to reach the OP's stated goals.
Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; May 31, 2020 at 12:21 PM.