Randy,
<!-- Edited by Admin -- We --> I have ported a lot of FE heads, and a typical set up is as you were thinking: CJ valves with the bigger valve pockets with a good pocket port through the whole bowl and around the guides. Runner work is only for looks and has little return unless doing major port re-work. However, the exh port exit lip on the C6 and later heads is worth straightening. Flow numbers BB posted are quite typical for the C8 heads in stock form. Ported as above, they will be quite close to the posted C4AE-G figures he shows (Though those numbers are quite high for a stock C4 head-I suspect a different flow bench or operator).

One thing to be careful of is who does the port work. The home porter should not try more than a mild cleanup with sander rolls or stones-no cutters. For more extensive porting, find someone with a good reputation and knowledge. I have seen too many heads with a lot of work done that look fancy, and flow poorly. You can loose 20-30 cfm with a minor mod to the intake short side radius, but you wouldn't know it without a flow bench. We've flowed old high dollar "race" heads that the guru of the day ported, and they are way down on intake flow because he ported them like a chevy.

<!-- Edited by Admin: BTW-a really well set up set of FE heads with all new parts, and $300-400 worth of port work will start approaching the cost of the assembled E-Bocks. But, the E-bocks need some attention right from the get go too, so if you factor that in, the cast are still cheaper, but not by as much as some folks think. That said, the E-bocks can be set up really well with better components and some port work (which they really respond too), but now you are getting into the $1500+ range, not typical of most truck engines. -->
Good luck,
Rob

 

Rob, Thanks for the info. Welcome to FTE!! Glad to see you posting here. Don't be a stranger.

 

Thanks for the info. It has been very helpful.

 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but what was the pressure drop that those stock heads were tested at BB?

 

28" Hg. Don't count the C8AE-H heads out. A guy that used to post here was running some crazy 1/8 mile times with unported C8s. I know the numbers don't look that good but you can still make all kinds of midrange with them. Take a look at some stock 351W flow numbers. That will make you sick. Then look at some stock 460 truck heads. That will make you even sicker considering the cubes they were inteneded to feed.

 

Im running those heads... un ported... stock set up.
I run 12.80s in the 1000 foot
and I just have a crane 901 cam, 3.70 gears, a holley 750 and a stock cast iron manifold
I have no complaints about them... so dont rule them out as Ratsmoker has said.

 

I am only running about 12.00 in the 1000 foot so on slippery street tires. I have the edel heads and a much bigger cam, same gears etc... You won't get massive amounts of power from the stock C8 heads but as you can see from Andy's times you can have a pretty fast stoplight machine.

 

Exactly what Ratsmoker said, I will guarantee I have a lot less money in it than he does. I wish I had a bigger cam, and edelbrock heads, but i cant find adjustable rockers used... Id settle for stock stuff, cuz im on a budget
and I have no porting done to my heads.
Dont rule out the heads, let us know what you run

 

Hey, DSC has those adjustable rockers, reasonable IMO. That's where I'm gonna get them when the time comes.

 

I was wondering about those, can I use my stock rails, or do I gotta buy the rails and rockers or what??

 

You mean shafts? You'll probably want to go with a heavy duty shaft when you go with a bigger cam anyway. I mean, it's not necessary, all you need is the rockers, but it's the "good" thing to do. Keeps things happy under the valve covers.

 

If I go with a bigger cam, Im going with Crane or something rockers.
I just want adjustable for what I got now, to free up some power, and keep the oil just a tad cooler.