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machining stock ls1 heads

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Old Feb 21, 2005 | 10:15 PM
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Default machining stock ls1 heads

I can get a good price on machining my stock heads, would it be worth it, to do this or just save up for some realy good heads like the AFR mongoose heads? im planning to do a streetable cam (mild lope) nothing major. and with a good machinist what can i expect for numbers on a decent cam and machined stock heads?
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Old Feb 21, 2005 | 10:24 PM
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Do you mean milling the heads for higher compression? You will need to be more specific on the cam specs for anyone to guess the performance.
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Old Feb 21, 2005 | 10:35 PM
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im not realy a cam guy (havnt realy figured out what the numbers mean) thats why so unclear on specs. I was gona mill for Higher compression and have a good port and polish job done, full CNC workup. the guy I will have do it has all the equipment and he used to be a service tech for lingenfelter. his machinist seems to know his **** too. as far as a cam, i want it streetable with just a mild lope nothing huge.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 12:37 AM
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I think you will get 20 to 30 hp out of the heads with stock valve sizes. For cams, you could get anything from 15 hp to 60 hp depending on how you define streetable. Since you say a mild lope, I sugest the TR224 114. That one will give you a definite lope, yet not too extreme; varys with PCM tuning. I think that cam will give you 30-40 hp over the stock cam, closer to 40 since you have headers. It's available from the Thunder Racing sponsor on the right ===========>
Other cams with 224 degrees duration on both the intake and exhaust with a 114 degree lobe separation angle will give similar results, but the one from Thunder Racing is very proven.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 02:10 AM
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Just so you know, I just got done milling my heads .040. I have a TR cam with 226 duration and 575 lift and I only had .058 piston to valve clearance on intake and .080 on exhaust. So if you cam is bigger than that you will need to flycut the pistons or just not mill the heads as much!
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 02:51 AM
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what im planning at the same time is doing the bottom end, forged crank and con rods as well as billet pistons. i want to be able to take at least a 200 shot of n20. so im going to do all the engine internals, as well as my tranny (same guy that will do the heads for cheap will race prep the t56 for not a lot of coin) but what im wondering is. would it be worth it to do the stock heads or get a good set of aftermarket heads. im leaning towards the AFR. if i go that route.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 01:32 PM
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It depends on how much power you want to make vs how much money you want to spend. It wasn't worth it for me to get new heads.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 04:07 PM
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Summit sells Patriot stage 1 LS1 heads that peak at 296cfm on the intake side for $1000. Those heads are also assembled and can handle up to .650" of lift. That value is gonna be hard to beat by your machinist, but if he knows what's he doing on LS1 heads, he may be able to deliver the goods for you with your heads.

Jason
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