LE2, Trickflow, AFR HEAD choices
05-15-2018, 07:00 AM
#1
Staging Lane
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LE2, Trickflow, AFR HEAD choices I haven't found an updated thread on this in my research so im going to start one.
I know they are all good and have their pros and cons. Whats everyone's experience with the above head selections? Ive been leaning towards the LE2 setup but in some reading read the trick flow setup wasn't a bad choice either, specs dont look bad for their 185 gen x head, as as far as a package setup seems stout, LE comes in cheaper and also seems like a great choice....my heads now are OEM and have 30k on them. from my reading they are a good head themselves. the aftermarket ones seem to have alot of cnc work which i do like. opinions??
As far as the AFR i haven't looked into them much aside from reading forums.
I know they are all good and have their pros and cons. Whats everyone's experience with the above head selections? Ive been leaning towards the LE2 setup but in some reading read the trick flow setup wasn't a bad choice either, specs dont look bad for their 185 gen x head, as as far as a package setup seems stout, LE comes in cheaper and also seems like a great choice....my heads now are OEM and have 30k on them. from my reading they are a good head themselves. the aftermarket ones seem to have alot of cnc work which i do like. opinions??
As far as the AFR i haven't looked into them much aside from reading forums.
05-15-2018, 08:27 AM
#2
I have said this many times, Ive tuned trick flow, AFR and LE, and the LE Always had a very flat HP & Tq curve, dont get me wrong, the trick flo and AFR heads made good power also but its not all that, the the power under the curve is what you want. And its doesnt matter if its an LE1 to the LE3, they are all the same, I vote for LE.
05-15-2018, 09:17 AM
#3
Stock heads are ok, aftermarket heads are good, ported stock is great, and ported aftermarket is amazing. If you have the money to pour into some new/used aftermarket heads, and then at least another $1500 for porting, then that's the way to go if your bottom end is up for it. The stock bottom end is pretty tough, but the word around here is that the rod bearings are the weakest link. I've never experienced that myself, but that seems to be a common thought on this site.
Another brand to consider, Advanced Induction is a great porting company. A little more expensive than LE, but CNC work is usually among the best you can get. Both AI and LE have good results, and ported stock heads have carried guys into the 9s.
Another brand to consider, Advanced Induction is a great porting company. A little more expensive than LE, but CNC work is usually among the best you can get. Both AI and LE have good results, and ported stock heads have carried guys into the 9s.
05-15-2018, 07:25 PM
#6
currently getting LE Trick Flows set up right now. You can see my dyno curve in the dyno sticky. With these new heads, the car feels the same as before, just with more power everywhere in the rpm band. These heads have not been smooth sailing though. The guide plates that came with the heads don't allow for proper rocker arm alignment so I had to buy adjustable guide plates. Half of my rockers were only making contact with half of their roller tips. Along with that, almost all of the guide plates sat too high on the head, causing my pushrods to pop off of the lifters. With the new guide plates, I had to grind the stud holes even more to allow up and down adjustment because just like the old ones, the pushrods were popping off the lifters. I also had to buy longer pushrods for these heads. Once I get everything situated and working, I'm sure my attitude will change, but for now I feel like I would have given LE3 heads a much closer look. The Trick Flows are way expensive and so far a lot of work.
05-15-2018, 10:11 PM
#7
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I went with le2 heads when I did mine years back. Would never do it again.
Valvs guides were were worn, badly. The valve job was done extremely poorly. Had to be redone. Was offered nothing but reduced parts cost. Never again
Valvs guides were were worn, badly. The valve job was done extremely poorly. Had to be redone. Was offered nothing but reduced parts cost. Never again
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05-15-2018, 10:20 PM
#8
This is the first I've ever heard bad about LE and I've been around LT1's since 2005.
I still say go LE.
I had AFR and you need to buy a LT4 intake for $400 or so then you have to port it. Good luck finding a LT4 intake and Edelbrock looks to be discontinuing their over price crap.
Ported stock heads and stock intake is the best bang for the money. Everything else you pay a lot more for a little amount of gains.
I still say go LE.
I had AFR and you need to buy a LT4 intake for $400 or so then you have to port it. Good luck finding a LT4 intake and Edelbrock looks to be discontinuing their over price crap.
Ported stock heads and stock intake is the best bang for the money. Everything else you pay a lot more for a little amount of gains.
05-16-2018, 06:00 AM
#9
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LE2 was my inital plan and i think that is the route im still going to go. i was just looking and saw trick flow 185 gen xs for a reasonable price then started looking at some others. a little more money. I just want it to be right the first time lol!
05-16-2018, 09:02 AM
#11
I'm with Joelster on this. So far you have posted a bunch of different threads, all asking for confirmation that you're making the right choice, but with no details at all about what you want to achieve with the car. And what is your budget? $5k all in? 10? 20? These are all important things to keep in mind. As a side note, it seems like you're getting hooked into the idea that aftermarket heads are better than stock heads. Stock ported heads will almost always outperform aftermarket as-cast heads, and will typically be a better value.
05-16-2018, 10:30 AM
#12
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Not by any means im just doing research and getting as much info as i can from people that have done it before. I am all in for the LE2 setup as there are many many happy customers. i was just browsing around one night and ran into a few options. Im looking to keep the short block stock. I would be happy with 400hp give or take. From what i have posted in my other threads im looking around 3-5k im not on a strict budget just looking to do it right! The end goal is a street-able car that i can take to the track and have fun a couple times a summer, car shows ect.
05-16-2018, 11:28 AM
#13
Do you care about HP or ET? If you have an ET goal, then that's gonna dictate different parts than a horsepower goal. Are you dead set on 400, or would you rather have a 12.0 car? The go-to package seems to be the LE2 setup, and you're definitely going in the right direction with that.
05-17-2018, 01:48 AM
#17
I haven't found an updated thread on this in my research so im going to start one.
I know they are all good and have their pros and cons. Whats everyone's experience with the above head selections? Ive been leaning towards the LE2 setup but in some reading read the trick flow setup wasn't a bad choice either, specs dont look bad for their 185 gen x head, as as far as a package setup seems stout, LE comes in cheaper and also seems like a great choice....my heads now are OEM and have 30k on them. from my reading they are a good head themselves. the aftermarket ones seem to have alot of cnc work which i do like. opinions??
As far as the AFR i haven't looked into them much aside from reading forums.
I know they are all good and have their pros and cons. Whats everyone's experience with the above head selections? Ive been leaning towards the LE2 setup but in some reading read the trick flow setup wasn't a bad choice either, specs dont look bad for their 185 gen x head, as as far as a package setup seems stout, LE comes in cheaper and also seems like a great choice....my heads now are OEM and have 30k on them. from my reading they are a good head themselves. the aftermarket ones seem to have alot of cnc work which i do like. opinions??
As far as the AFR i haven't looked into them much aside from reading forums.
KW
05-22-2018, 01:44 PM
#20
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after talking with LE on the phone and telling him my end goal is a street able car that will perform good on the track make good power and sound good!