Options for upgrading heads.

[vortex2450]

After some deliberation I've decided that I am going to pull the heads off of my 3.0l with a burnt exhaust valve and build them up to install a set of tri-flows and install on my 3.2 MTX so that I can have a fully worked set of heads and just drop them on.

I'm not sure exactly all that can be done so here I am.
I want to upgrade every possible.
So where do I begin?

Can I upgrade the valves, valve springs?
What parts should I replace? (Head bolts, guides,etc.)

Shoot me ideas, anything is appreciated
.

-Josh

 

[Toolman]

Will cost you a ton, I highly recommend purchasing a set of heads already worked over. In fact, there are some SHO's for sale on this forum with worked over/cammed heads that are not much more expensive than doing JUST the heads.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

We have the larger valves, guides, seals and cams here: SHO Source

 

[jayro]

You can replace the guides and seals. Oversized valves. Get a 3 angle valve job. If you are going all out then you could look at porting them. Talk to Area91. I believe he did some porting on his head. Just make sure the person porting them knows what they are doing...the SHO heads flow very well stock and it is possible for someone inexperienced to port them and make them flow worse.

 

[Eric VerValin]

^^ C&P did a good job I think. Then again, the old "60" year old guy that did the work said he's been over a few sets of SHO heads before. That probably helped a bit. You had your heads done there too didn't you Jayro?

 

[vortex2450]

You can replace the guides and seals. Oversized valves. Get a 3 angle valve job. If you are going all out then you could look at porting them. Talk to Area91. I believe he did some porting on his head. Just make sure the person porting them knows what they are doing...the SHO heads flow very well stock and it is possible for someone inexperienced to port them and make them flow worse.

I'll start looking around, luckily I live close to Camp Lejuene and there are a couple reputable machine shops around.

The 3 angle valve job seem promising, from what I've read it seem the work is all based on valve seat correct?

I definitely want to have the heads PnP'd. If it comes down to it I'll even ship them to someone on here.

We have the larger valves, guides, seals and cams here: SHO Source

So I see, I already have camshafts in order, the total on parts comes out to .... $999.24 + shipping... Toolman wasn't kidding .

^^ C&P did a good job I think. Then again, the old "60" year old guy that did the work said he's been over a few sets of SHO heads before. That probably helped a bit. You had your heads done there too didn't you Jayro?

Honestly, the issue of $ doesn't bother me, I want to pull the maximum potential from the heads. I also have another 3.2l I may put on the engine stand and rework it as well....

So far here's what I've gathered.

-Oversized valves, Bronze valve guides, SHOsource valve springs, new valve seals, head bolts, and head gaskets $1k from SHOsource..

Question for loudsho92, are you'r valve springs in any way "stronger" than the stock spec springs or are the simply a new run based on manufacturer's specs for rebuilding? My goal here is to (hopefully) not have to fret over valve float and be able to rev to 8k redline..

-3 Angle Valve job, I've seen quotes from $300 -$500 on similar sets of heads.

-PnP , any idea on potential rates? I'm assuming at least $250 with a hot tank cleaning.

Will cost you a ton, I highly recommend purchasing a set of heads already worked over. *In fact, there are some SHO's for sale on this forum with worked over/cammed heads that are not much more expensive than doing JUST the heads.

So I guess a "ton" (ie $2k) wasn't an exaggeration was it?

Regardless, I am going to do this one day, maybe not for my current SHO but maybe for a future project. I would like to get a clear idea of what needs to be done. Whether or not I do everything myself or purchase a set of heads partially worked and finished them is to be determined by IF I find someone selling said heads. I did inquire about a set I saw in the classifieds a month or so ago but never got a reply.



Thanks guys.

-Josh

 

[Eric VerValin]

$350 I think mine was.... minimal porting.. came out looking like this.... 3 angle, new valve seals. And usually I thought they cut the valves, and then mildly regrind the seat with an abrasive compound. I did what a lot say not to do, but he trimmed the top of a couple valves instead of farting around swapping shims. I figured once in 200k miles was ok.. lol Others will say no I'm sure...

They are fun to unwrap tho. Worth at least $350...lol





Plus I didn't have to fart around with what was left of the HG on there either.

 

[vortex2450]

$350 I think mine was.... minimal porting.. came out looking like this.... 3 angle, new valve seals. And usually I thought they cut the valves, and then mildly regrind the seat with an abrasive compound. I did what a lot say not to do, but he trimmed the top of a couple valves instead of farting around swapping shims. I figured once in 200k miles was ok.. lol Others will say no I'm sure...

They are fun to unwrap tho. Worth at least $350...lol





Plus I didn't have to fart around with what was left of the HG on there either.

Those looks sweet! How's the top end ?

Do you say $350, that was for the valve job and the porting/cleaning?

Did he install the valves or was that your responsibility?


-Josh

 

[jayro]

^^ C&P did a good job I think. Then again, the old "60" year old guy that did the work said he's been over a few sets of SHO heads before. That probably helped a bit. You had your heads done there too didn't you Jayro?

I had mine done at CJ Racing Engines in Auburn. Cleaned, new guides and seals, 3 angle job.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Any "porting' was very mild and done by hand. And yes, they installed them, checked the tolerances, took it all apart again, adjusted what they had to, then put it all back together again. I should have paid another $40 or whatever it was to have them tested, but I figured they couldn't be "that bad" after all that work.

There is definately more that could be done, but it gets really funny and real expensive really fast. lol


And for the most part, everything I see is up top. Stock 3.0 cam's... kinda runs like a pig off the line... could be my 18's.. but runs like **** up top.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

The springs are new OEM replacement springs but you will be fine to 8k.

 

[zak]

To save cost, and induce some swirl you might just only enlarge the intake valves on the short runner side, and the opposite corner exhaust valve. That is what I'm considering doing.

If you look, you can find properly sized valve guides that taper as they approach the valve head, this is good for some flow as well.

Finally, a 5 angle valve job might be worth a few more hp over a 3 angle valve job.

Somewhere I have a copy of the Superford article that compared Extrude Honing of SHO heads to experienced hand porting. I recall that, for the exhaust, extrude hone had a distinct advantage over the hand porting that was done, but on the intake it was more of a wash.

Anyone know how close a 1 mm oversized intake valve comes to the wall of the 92 (or 93 mm overbore) cylinder? In otherwords, does shrouding occur?