Which head for an LS3?
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Teching In
Joined: Sep 2018
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Which head for an LS3? I'm in the process of gathering parts for building an iron blocked LS3 shortblock I bought from SDPC raceshop. Basically it is stock spec LS3 rods, crank and pistons. I have a factory LS3 intake and 92mm Nick Williams tb, cam will similar to aftermarket LS3 stage 3 grinds. I am putting it in a 95 Camaro I am building for street strip duty. My goal is to run low to mid 11's with it. I have put a new fabricated 9" with 3.70 gears, Viking double adjustable coil-over shocks and new tubular control arms and panhard bar out back. I had frame connectors and an 8 point Wolfe Racecraft roll bar in stalled. I will be running a built turbo 350 (converter to be decided). Up front will be a tubular k-member, control arms and Viking shock set up. Here are the heads under consideration: AFR LS3 Mongoose, Trick Flow LS3 255, factory GM Performance cnc LS3 heads or factory GM Performance LS3 heads sent to Frankenstein for their stage 1 porting. The factory cnc heads are the cheapest and the other 3 pairs all pretty comparable in price. Is there a clear choice among these?
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 269
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From: Attica, IN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EayGDfJWCHI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmiesbTq3mk
You'd be cheating with ported Ls3 heads and LLSR cam... compare cost vs a aftermarket head & hyd roller set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmiesbTq3mk
You'd be cheating with ported Ls3 heads and LLSR cam... compare cost vs a aftermarket head & hyd roller set up.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2019
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Not really a track person any more....make a et, get banned and move on is my theme...Sh!+ generally breaks going up and down the strip.. City slicker lookin for a city/country slicker for $$$.oo -$$$$.oo only reason to race. The hell with a trophy, or bracket check or class winner BS. Know alot of 400+ windors and Must Lose Stangs.....mid to lower 9sec cars.
Last edited by Smokey B; Apr 14, 2019 at 06:21 PM.
Banned
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Been there twice, yrs ago. Had a club in the mall on the 2nd floor, again this was yrs ago... Hellava story....left indy @ 2am from that club and about 5pm 14hrs later made it home went thru Louisville around 90 to 100 mph in the fog. Stops in Memphis also....< didn't know anyone there still found smoke.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
Been there twice, yrs ago. Had a club in the mall on the 2nd floor, again this was yrs ago... Hellava story....left indy @ 2am from that club and about 5pm 14hrs later made it home went thru Louisville around 90 to 100 mph in the fog. Stops in Memphis also....< didn't know anyone there still found smoke.
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10 Second Club
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From: over dere
I'm in the process of gathering parts for building an iron blocked LS3 shortblock I bought from SDPC raceshop. Basically it is stock spec LS3 rods, crank and pistons. I have a factory LS3 intake and 92mm Nick Williams tb, cam will similar to aftermarket LS3 stage 3 grinds. I am putting it in a 95 Camaro I am building for street strip duty. My goal is to run low to mid 11's with it. I have put a new fabricated 9" with 3.70 gears, Viking double adjustable coil-over shocks and new tubular control arms and panhard bar out back. I had frame connectors and an 8 point Wolfe Racecraft roll bar in stalled. I will be running a built turbo 350 (converter to be decided). Up front will be a tubular k-member, control arms and Viking shock set up. Here are the heads under consideration: AFR LS3 Mongoose, Trick Flow LS3 255, factory GM Performance cnc LS3 heads or factory GM Performance LS3 heads sent to Frankenstein for their stage 1 porting. The factory cnc heads are the cheapest and the other 3 pairs all pretty comparable in price. Is there a clear choice among these?
stock ls3 intake will restrict any of them somewhat
MAST if you can afford them. Period.
AFR would be 2nd. They come with the 8019 springs and Ti retainers. The casting is great quality. And don't forget with the AFR's you get the 12* valve angle as well...
You couldn't give me an out-of-the-box TFS head to run. That's just my opinion. Too many valve problems. When most vendors are saying "get xxxx additional done to them"... no thanks. Hard pass.
For the money its pretty hard to beat the GMPP LS3 heads. The CNC work is pretty damn good.
**Edit**
Do yourself a favor and get the LS3 intake radius rod modded. Look it up. It's definitely worth it. Gwatney and Rick Crawford do it.
AFR would be 2nd. They come with the 8019 springs and Ti retainers. The casting is great quality. And don't forget with the AFR's you get the 12* valve angle as well...
You couldn't give me an out-of-the-box TFS head to run. That's just my opinion. Too many valve problems. When most vendors are saying "get xxxx additional done to them"... no thanks. Hard pass.
For the money its pretty hard to beat the GMPP LS3 heads. The CNC work is pretty damn good.
**Edit**
Do yourself a favor and get the LS3 intake radius rod modded. Look it up. It's definitely worth it. Gwatney and Rick Crawford do it.