Would TFS heads be too big??

[DanM]

Hi Guys,

I'm currently building a 351W for performance street use. Nothing major, shooting for 350+ish horsepower, good low-end performance. I had originally planned to use ported stock 351W heads, or possibly even GT-40Ps or something like that. A fellow I work with was building a 351W as well, but had to scrap it, and has a set of aluminum TFS heads he's willing to part with for a very reasonable price.

My question is ... can you have too much head?? Will using a TFS head with larger ports, slightly bigger valves, etc, hurt performance in the same way that slapping a bigass cam in there would?

I realize that's a loaded question and that it depends on hundreds of variables. I'm just looking for some generalized thoughts, like "yeah, it won't be as ideally matched to your motor as GT-40s would be, but it's probably worth it in terms of upgradability later if you can get TFS heads that cheap"...etc. etc.. Any thoughts would be great.

[Ron61]

Dan,

You may lose a little on the low end, but unless the heads are worked out, I don't think you would lose as much as you will gain. Big advantage of aluminum heads besides weight is heat transfer. If the valves aren't huge compared to what you were going to use,and the combustion chambers aren't to big, I think they would be ok. One thing to make sure of though is that whatever intake manifold you are using willmatch up with the heads.

Ron

[SSSnake]

I'm not sure on this one but i think TFS heads also have relocated exhaust ports.

Glenn

[Jack21]

TFS street twisted wedge 2.02/1.60 heads work just fine on a 351W street motor/daily driver. That what I've got.

TFS makes several heads for Windsors. The competition heads are 2.08/1.60, have a reconfigured exhaust ports, and need custom made headers. The street heads, everything bolts right up.

[DanM]

Thanks guys.

So basically what I'm hearing is that if I were to use TFS street heads instead of stock or GT-40s, I may lose a bit in some places, gain a bit in others, but overall, it won't significantly affect the streetability/low-end performance of my motor? At least not in the way that doing something extreme like dropping in a 310* cam would?

I don't really need TFS heads, nor want them particularly, for that matter. It's just that this guy is selling them so cheaply that I'm thinking 'why not?'

Thanks.
Dan

[Tony Radford]

TFS heads are great. I read a number of SBF head comparison articles when my stroker was under construction and for a head with stock port locations, you can't go wrong. Definitely better than GT 40s. One suggestion, before you install them, have the valve guides replaced with some higher quality ones. Mine were trashed at 9,000 miles. It will be no big deal with the heads off the motor. Buy them, install them and be very happy!

[Jack21]

Tony, which valve guides and valve stem seals did you install? Any problems since replacement? How is your oil consumption? Thanks.

[Tony Radford]

Southern Automotive did the work when they built my stroker last year. I elected to keep the TFS heads off my previous Windsor. I had read somewhere before that the factory-installed guides were subject to premature wear. During the reworking of my heads for the stroker build, the guys in the shop noted that my guides were shot. If memory serves me, they were originally aluminum and replaced with bronze.

Oil consumption is no problem since the rings were replaced (rich carb washed oil from cylinder walls). I'm recording it now to identify precisely what the consumption/1,000 miles is.

[sharpe 1]

The new tsf heads have fixed the valve guide problem. If you have an old set of heads the guides were a lot of trouble.You would want to replace these. Go to the trickflow web site for more information.