Anybody have any idea how much horsepower difference there would be between the Edelbrock heads and stock heads with CJ valves? Are the Edel heads really worth $1200?

 

The biggest benifit to the Ed heads is the are aluminum. That means they weigh alot less, and can run a little more compression, with out detenation. They are worth the money considering it takes nearly $800 to recondition a set of D2TE-AA and have CJ valves put in. So for $400 more you get less weight, and potentially more compression. I am sure there are other advantages to the Eds over stock heads, but I can't think of more.

I have heard that the Edelbrock heads are bette purchased bare. Then machine for fitment of components going in. Also check combustion chamber CC's and that the mounting faces are flat. Combuston chmabers are said to be around 4 - 8 CC's bigger.

I am in the same boat as you are right now. Deciding weather or not to spend the extra $400.00 for the Eds or simply use my D2TE-AA heads. Well I will now when I HAVE to make the Decision (sp).

Scotty

 

When I get back to my room I will post a graph of what DDyno says. I think it is upwards of 75 horse on a streetable but souped up FE. The difference in flow on both the intake and exhaust is significant. Only the 427SOHC, TP and HR outflow them on the intake and I think only the 427SOHC outflows them on the exhaust.

 

Ratsmoker, have you had any problems with yours regarding head gaskets and the like? Also, were they good out of the box or did the require any machining? I want to use them but I wonder if I may be better off with the CJ heads on the stroker I talked about in a different thread.

 

These heads look trick and should make more than my cast iron heads with CJ upgrades, and save some weight. However, there were tips here in forum about checking the heli coil inserts and sure enough mine had at least Two that the shop had to re-do. So search the forum for info before installing.

 

I have been very lucky with my heads. I took them out of the box, made sure they were clean and put together properly and bolted them on. Absolutely no problems. All the helicoils are good, the headgaskets have stayed put and I love them. I only put about 35 ft lbs to the rocker stands instead of the 45 they recommend. I have had them off several times. I haven't had them come loose. I tighten the exhaust bolts pretty darn tight and have had no problems there either. I think if you keep in mind you are not working with cast iron you will be fine. Also use the recommended head bolts or studs that have the appropriate washers so it doesn't dig into the aluminum. They do outflow the CJ heads by a significant amount but will never be as durable.

 

You can get CJ heads from DCS Motorsports that have been worked to flow close to the eboks. They cost about the same as the eboks, but they come with much better hardware, will match your CJ engine if you have one, and are way more durable. Sure, they weigh more, but who cares about that in our trucks? Just throwing it out as another option.

 

I have been told by a guy that out of the box the cj head out performed the med riser iron head.And we all know how much they go for so i would say they are worth it.I bought a set of med riser edelbrocks just havent bolted them up yet still saving for my blower manifold

 

Well, I hope they're worth it, cause I got em! They came in today and I took them straight to my engine guy. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

one big mod to do is chamfer the oil returns out! they are tiny from the factory. plus restrict the oil to your rocker shafts.

 

I'm biased, but I'll vote for the iron heads. Aluminum heads, from Edel or anyone else, don't offer any power advantage just because they are made of aluminum. When Edel started playing with Al heads they made less power than stock. When they modified their design to copy a pair of ported C8AE-H heads they got close to where they are now. You have to remember, Ford was flow bench testing heads in the early 60s, when the younger Mr Edel was just a punk kid. I think the MR 427 head does better than the Edel, but it only fits the large bore block. If I were contemplating a 390 builld, I would look at the D2TE-AA heads, with the 2.09/1.65 valves installed, port them, and then, as in the 800$-1400$ example above, spend the extra 400$ toward a Blue Thunder 427MR intake. If you have access to a Serdi or a Sunnen cylinderhead machine, the iron heads can out flow the Edels with a little effort. If you don't have a competant shop in your area, maybe the Edels are a good buy. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.....DF

 

They have revised the exhaust port three times that I know of. When was the last time you had one of these in your hands ?For one where are you going to find a MED head for under a $1000 bucks and not machined to the point you could no longer resurface the head.Not to mention no hardend seats In or out.No bronze guides ? But I could see your point on a TRUCK engine where you want torque at idle how the C8AE-H heads would be better for low end power

 

Well, I am kinda biased. I work in a machine shop, so I can install the hard seats under the exhaust for only the cost of the seat itself. In an iron head, the intakes don't need them. Bronze guides also, I can install them in about 20 minutes, and they cost me only 32$. Every head we rebuild goes out the door with bronze guides. So, if you have a good shop nearby, the iron heads can be spectacular. I think it really boils down to how good, and how willing, are the local machinsts in your area ? Lots of places don't even want to mess with an FE. I see the MR 427 heads everyday, cause I bought a 427 MR in 1979. I also have a 421 (410 060 over ) and several 390s. My boss and his wife have his 'n' hers 428SCJs....so working on the old FE is routine for me. All of my engines have iron heads. Mr and Mrs Boss do as well. Aluminum heads were offered by Ford for the FE in the mid 60s. The idea was weight reduction, not increased power potential. And if you take a pair of C7AE-A, or C8AE-H, or D2TE-AA heads and stand them up and compare them to C5AE-F heads (MR 427 ), you can see that ford learned alot when they built the MR, and they applied that to the later heads. If I didn't have the equipment or knowledge to port my own heads, I would probably buy iron heads from Dennis or someone else like him. DF

 

Well the average joe doesn't have a full machine shop to do all this stuff at cost and labor for free.The only 60's head that i have seen in AL were the Tunnel port gt-40 heads.I have sold my tunnel port stroker motor for the med edel head.I have not run mine yet,The real reason for buying then was my friend Mike Ulrey said the CJ edel head worked as well out of the box than a old med head.And the med edel head was the way to go needing no mods to work well on a CJ bore.The guy Has been racing Fords for a very long time.His brothers got him into racing at 14 i think he said when they got a 61 galaxie from Ford.He prolly has forgoten more than I'll ever know.Last year at the mid Ohio all Ford swap meet he brought out his photo album with Bob Glidon and some folks i never knew were in NHRA.Was very neet.He told me Ford cast some old steel cranks for him in CJ stroke They thought it would be a great help to him racing.Turns out the extra wieght hurt him for 2 tenths due to rotating mass I guess.He also said that the old mopar guys used to wind out the hemi and neutral drop the 727 off the line,and held up to it.He said that was one thing that bugged him was a big advantage I guess.Well enough bable

 

The CJ heads from Dennis are a viable option. Cast iron won't allow as much compression as aluminum but it makes more power at the same compression ratio if the flow is equal. Its a hard decision. I don't know how much his heads flow. I'm sure he might know. Even if they don't flow quite as well I would trust Dennis's work.