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Author
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Topic: Aluminum heads vs. iron heads?
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BUCK_FIFTY
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Member # 728
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posted
 
 
-I was wondering how much weight can I expect to save with aluminum heads on a 5.0 over GT40p iron heads?
-Which are the lightest street legal aluminum heads?
-Also, are iron heads better for specific power combos or applications?
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"Funny how cheap ass people have money to do it right the second time, haha!"
Posts: 789 | From: 510 | Registered: Jan 2002
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BlackNGold
CaliforniaFords.com
Moderator
Member # 655
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posted
Aluminum heads each are about 20-25lbs lighter than stock cast iron heads...
[ December 31, 2002, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: Black94 5.0 ]
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-SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT-
Posts: 5132 | From: Bay Area, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Stimson
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Member # 51
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posted
It all depends on what combo you're looking to run. There aren't many iron heads for you to choose from for small block fords.
Posts: 2373 | Registered: Jun 2000
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
GT-40/GT-40P iron heads out of the box are worth about 0.3 in ET and 3 mph in a properly driven bolt-on 5 liter.
Windsor Jr/Windsor Sr. are a step above this (though the Windsor Sr. is probably a little big for a street 5.0)
Aluminum heads will save you roughly 45 lbs. off the front of your car. They're all roughly the same weight, just a big 'ol slab of aluminum.
aluminum heads require less effort to port than iron (more ductile) and can typically support more timing than iron due to it's superior heat dissaption.
This very advantage becomes a disadvantage though on a high compression motor, the iron head is better able to retain heat and will have a greater volumetric effeciency than it's aluminum counterpart simply because it doesn't bleed off as much heat.
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1984 Ford Tempo AOD--- RIP
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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BUCK_FIFTY
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Member # 728
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posted
Thanks for the info.
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"Funny how cheap ass people have money to do it right the second time, haha!"
Posts: 789 | From: 510 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Pro50Eric
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Member # 2065
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posted
For a street car pick iron. Iron will always make more power than aluminum. Especially in a heavy car. When aluminum gets hot it expands which kills hp. Only way you need to go aluminum is if your wanting to save weight.
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Recently Acquired!! 68 Camaro Outlaw 10.5
Posts: 107 | From: Va | Registered: Nov 2002
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BUCK_FIFTY
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Member # 728
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posted
So would iron be good for a 10.5:1,331 stroker with a 8psi Vortech? I still haven't decided between that or a 8.5:1, DSS 306 with a 15psi Vortech with aluminum heads maybe? Which of the combo's above is more reliable and less likely to detonate? Which would make more hp?
[ January 01, 2003, 11:19 AM: Message edited by: Yung Than ]
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"Funny how cheap ass people have money to do it right the second time, haha!"
Posts: 789 | From: 510 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Chris M.
Ignore me, all I do is argue online!
Member # 1708
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by Yung Than:
So would iron be good for a 10.5:1,331 stroker with a 8psi Vortech? I still haven't decided between that or a 8.5:1, DSS 306 with a 15psi Vortech with aluminum heads maybe? Which of the combo's above is more reliable and less likely to detonate? Which would make more hp?
A 9:1 motor will make more power with iron heads than a 9:1 motor with alum heads because of what he just said BUT. A 10.5:1 motor with iron heads will make LESS power than a 10.5:1 motor with alum heads because, unless you're putting in race gas, you'll need to back off some timing with the iron head motor in order to keep it from detonating. Aluminum dissipates heat faster, which suppresses detonation.
samething for any power adder, use alum heads, use more timing, make more power.
Lastly, it might be hard finding an iron head that flows as much as an alum head.
[ January 01, 2003, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: SIR OneSlowPlitBumperonN2O& I'm gay ]
Posts: 2828 | From: West Bay, CA | Registered: Aug 2002
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boosted89Saleen
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Member # 2243
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[/QUOTE]A 9:1 motor will make more power with iron heads than a 9:1 motor with alum heads because of what he just said [/QB][/QUOTE]
So GT-40 heads are gonna put out more HP then a motor with say AFR heads? ![[BS flag]](graemlins/bs_flag.gif)
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1989 Saleen, 347, some mods
Posts: 221 | From: Sac, CA | Registered: Dec 2002
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Jeff S
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Member # 371
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quote:
Originally posted by boosted89Saleen:
So GT-40 heads are gonna put out more HP then a motor with say AFR heads?
No. However if there were two identical versions of the AFR head, one aluminum and one iron, the iron version would make more power.
[ January 01, 2003, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: Jeff S ]
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'90 Mustang LX: 8.53 @ 157.92 w/ 1.33 60' on DR's
'10 ZR1: FOR SALE
'14 E63 S: RENNtech ECU
'04 Gallardo: UGR TTG
Posts: 2121 | From: San Jose, CA | Registered: Aug 2001
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
Windsor Sr's are a pretty high flowing iron head, available quite cheap used.
'course I think they're on the big side for a little EFI 302 though.
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1984 Ford Tempo AOD--- RIP
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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Chris M.
Ignore me, all I do is argue online!
Member # 1708
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posted
Thank you Jeff, I thought that it was obvious I meant on heads with equal flow #s. Especially since I went on to mention that it's hard to find an iron head that'll flow what some alum heads flow.
shade-tree, If you buzzed that little 302 to 10,000 rpm then I'm thinking the Windsor Sr might be a little too small up top. It all depends on the combo.
Posts: 2828 | From: West Bay, CA | Registered: Aug 2002
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