aluminum heads

[MikeyT]

I recently saw that aluminum heads are being sold by 440source.com for a pretty reasonable price. It looks like they will be really good heads for the price, which opens it up as a possibility for me. Yet, I've got some concerns with compression and such. I currently run 346 style heads on my 440, which I think is a 76 cc chamber. Fellow Mopar guys tell me if I'm wrong. Anyway my current compression is about
9.5:1. These heads come out standard at 84 cc, what am I going to lose in compression? Is the trade off worth it?

Mike

[TC]

Re: aluminum heads

I'll go out on a limb here and say it'll be 1/2 to 1 point of compression that you'll be losing.

[Two Lane Blacktop]

Re: aluminum heads

You can regain that amount of compression

easily & cheaply by milling the heads.


(Those heads are extra-thick castings with plenty to mill.)

[MikeyT]

Re: aluminum heads

I was thinking the same thing about 1/2 a point to a full point. I guess I never considered the fact that I could mill it down. Intake matching I beleive is .123 for every .01 off the head side.

Mike

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: aluminum heads

You don't have to worry about intake-machining with new heads just yet.
Installing steelshim-headgaskets will gain you some compression aswell if your pistons (quench) can handle it.