LS 3 Head Recommendations
LS 3 Head Recommendations I am planning a LS3 build and I had a set of heads I was looking into but now I am not so sure. I was looking a t the Chevy Performance CNC heads but now I am not so sure. I started thinking maybe I should just pickup a pair of stock heads and have them ported and milled but then I thought maybe I should just go big and get a set of something from a company like Frankenstein. I am am keeping it stock cubes and looking to be around 500-550 crank HP. Not married to the number just something i am shooting for. No boost at least not for the foreseeable future. I just am looking for the best heads for my application with the possibility to grow. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Lots of choices there, just how much of your engine build budget can you spend on heads? MMS LS3’s 260+5cc might be the tip of the spear. If your limited then ported 821 or 823’s. I’m a diy hard head so I ported my 823’s on one LS3 and bought AFR 260’s for the other.
Ported ls3’s on such a mild build won’t be worth it at all. They already flow well enough there are better places to spend money.
GM sells a 525hp Ls3 with just a cam swap and it’s not even a great cam selection compared to what the aftermarket is doing.
GM sells a 525hp Ls3 with just a cam swap and it’s not even a great cam selection compared to what the aftermarket is doing.
My build budget is pretty nebulous. I have been collecting parts here and there so I am a lot already. I have the cash for the block and rotating assembly so I am just throwing what I can into savings. I have been saving and continuing to save. I won't be starting this project for a bit so I can save up more for good heads.
It may be mild now but I will be building this with room to grow.
Stock LS3 heads are really quite good up to ~600 hp I guess is what I was trying to say. I have stock ls3's on my 402 and I'm definitely in the 580-600 flywheel horsepower range.
AFR260's and the FED M311 both seem like good choices these days. FED ported LS3's are really quite a big port. Working really good on a 415 drag engine that only runs above 6000. Couldn't tell you what they'd be like on a street engine at lower rpm.
My buddy had CNC ported GM LS3's on his engine with a stage 2 sized cam and made decent power, but I don't really think they did anything too significant for him in that build.
AFR260's and the FED M311 both seem like good choices these days. FED ported LS3's are really quite a big port. Working really good on a 415 drag engine that only runs above 6000. Couldn't tell you what they'd be like on a street engine at lower rpm.
My buddy had CNC ported GM LS3's on his engine with a stage 2 sized cam and made decent power, but I don't really think they did anything too significant for him in that build.
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+1 to not porting the stock heads at your power level. Stock ls3 heads flow great already. Sometimes porting kills the port velocity and makes it run worse.
Do a good VJ. Cam in the high 220s. Rod modded intake. Headers. 550 bhp. Boom.
If you really think you would want more I would do afr 260 unless you plan to rpm in which case bigger ports like the 311 make sense.
Do a good VJ. Cam in the high 220s. Rod modded intake. Headers. 550 bhp. Boom.
If you really think you would want more I would do afr 260 unless you plan to rpm in which case bigger ports like the 311 make sense.
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Verdad Gallardo +1 to not porting the stock heads at your power level. Stock ls3 heads flow great already. Sometimes porting kills the port velocity and makes it run worse.
Do a good VJ. Cam in the high 220s. Rod modded intake. Headers. 550 bhp. Boom.
If you really think you would want more I would do afr 260 unless you plan to rpm in which case bigger ports like the 311 make sense.
Do a good VJ. Cam in the high 220s. Rod modded intake. Headers. 550 bhp. Boom.
If you really think you would want more I would do afr 260 unless you plan to rpm in which case bigger ports like the 311 make sense.
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Joined: Jun 2016
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If that mild port increases or changes the cross section, then yeah. But if it is a bowl blend and top drawer valve job, plus getting rid of casting hiccups, then it should be OK. I don't even call all that a port job. It's just rectifying a few defects....
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I wouldn't waste my money on a cnc port job. Here is a link where LS3 motors are making over 550 plus horses with a cam only swap..
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng...tick-boomerang
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng...tick-boomerang
I wouldn't waste my money on a cnc port job. Here is a link where LS3 motors are making over 550 plus horses with a cam only swap..
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng...tick-boomerang
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng...tick-boomerang
KW