Aluminium vs. Cast Iron Heads
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Aluminium vs. Cast Iron Heads
I posted this in the truck section. I am trying to find out how much better are aluminium heads., than cast iron. I am wanting to get 6.0 317 casting heads. the specs from cast iron to aluminium are the same. What is you take thanks for the any input.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330438
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330438
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aluminum allows for better cooling and higher compression ratios. just switching to alum heads prob wont gain you too much power unless you go with a set of 5.3 heads to raise the compression a bit. expect a 3-4% power increase for every full point of compresssion increase (i.e. 10.1:1 to 11.1:1). theres really no point in doing the swap if youre gonna put the same 6L heads back on...
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all being equal Iron heads will make more power then aluminum heads..
same octane
same compression
same timing
but the disadvantages to iron heads are.. cant run as much timing, cant run as much compression, harder to port and are 50lbs heavier..
the advantages of aluminum heads would be.. 50lbs lighter, dissapate heat better (sp?), run more timing, run more compression, easier to port.
same octane
same compression
same timing
but the disadvantages to iron heads are.. cant run as much timing, cant run as much compression, harder to port and are 50lbs heavier..
the advantages of aluminum heads would be.. 50lbs lighter, dissapate heat better (sp?), run more timing, run more compression, easier to port.
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Originally Posted by SOM98TA
all being equal Iron heads will make more power then aluminum heads..
how the hell do you figure that?
its 2005 people, i cant see any good reason to use cast iron heads for anything other than keeping the boat from drifting around the lake.
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Originally Posted by IMD
how the hell do you figure that?
its 2005 people, i cant see any good reason to use cast iron heads for anything other than keeping the boat from drifting around the lake.
its 2005 people, i cant see any good reason to use cast iron heads for anything other than keeping the boat from drifting around the lake.
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#8
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The old iron 6.0L heads have ports that are modeled after the old LS1 ports. The 317 aluminum 6.0L heads have ports modeled after the LS6 head and therefore flow quite a bit better than the iron heads. That's the biggest reason to choose the aluminum heads. They're better to start off with.
__________________
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
#10
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Originally Posted by SOM98TA
I'm not talking about 2 specific heads against each other..
I'm talking about in general Aluminum Vs Iron.
I'm talking about in general Aluminum Vs Iron.
__________________
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
#11
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Originally Posted by Patrick G
The old iron 6.0L heads have ports that are modeled after the old LS1 ports. The 317 aluminum 6.0L heads have ports modeled after the LS6 head and therefore flow quite a bit better than the iron heads. That's the biggest reason to choose the aluminum heads. They're better to start off with.
#12
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Originally Posted by IMD
its 2005 people, i cant see any good reason to use cast iron heads for anything other than keeping the boat from drifting around the lake.
LOL here. You are right on with that at least for non-diesel!
You need to go back to why GM Powertrain used any iron heads at all in the truck version of the LSx engine.
As I understand it, the Powertrain folks wanted to use aluminum, but the "truck folks" said no because they thought iron would give better engine durability over the long haul in trucks. Powertrain had to convince them that not only were the aluminum heads as good as the iron for durability, they were better. That took some time, so some early truck LS engines had iron heads. Anyway, that's the story I got from a "Deep Throat" inside the Company.
You can decide for yourself, but the aluminum heads made a better running, better heat rejecting engine which slightly improved fuel economy due to less weight and how engine temps could be manipulated. All of this also helped durability. Didn't hurt power output and acceleration either.
Sometimes the wheels (pun intended) at large OEMs grind exceedingly slowly.
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Originally Posted by SOM98TA
all being equal Iron heads will make more power then aluminum heads..
same octane
same compression
same timing
but the disadvantages to iron heads are.. cant run as much timing, cant run as much compression, harder to port and are 50lbs heavier..
the advantages of aluminum heads would be.. 50lbs lighter, dissapate heat better (sp?), run more timing, run more compression, easier to port.
same octane
same compression
same timing
but the disadvantages to iron heads are.. cant run as much timing, cant run as much compression, harder to port and are 50lbs heavier..
the advantages of aluminum heads would be.. 50lbs lighter, dissapate heat better (sp?), run more timing, run more compression, easier to port.