I'd run a factory LS3 head with a good port job. I'd prefer that over the two listed. We just had a problem with the M311 heads (which is a china head) and its gonna cost us twice now. The valve seats in those china heads are garbage and if you're running nitrous or boost, you really need a CHE seat in them. A factory seat is a happy medium between a junk ass china seat and a nice CHE seat. Most all these cheap heads you're seeing are a china casting that is cleaned up and ported here. The metal is cheap, the seats are junk and the guides are trash.

Alibaba.com

Alibaba.com

www.alibaba.com

Whats the setup on the car?

 

Whats the setup on the car?

its a built stock block and will be a turbo car
I know there China castings as are most heads nowadays but they would get sent off before being used

 

I was going to run a set on a Dart block. The heads had so much core shift, the bottom row of 3/8 studs wouldn't line up unless I offset the holes over .050-.070. Boss around the bottom holes wasn't spot faced either.

 

which heads?

 

You can make or use any head just know what you got for parts and usage American or Chinese... Buy bare as cast/cnc ported No Parts Dirt cheap with a better architecture and fill in the blanks. Cylinder heads don't have that many parts. Seats, guides, valves and springs for a given application. Have your porter of choice ready to clean up any flaws and the port.




Any head.

When you buy something with a expectation and it's not what's needed is the problem because of cheap parts. Reasons if your buying cheap you build or create a head..
If buying and spending over $2800 otb it's not gonna be promaxx or a liberty head.

You could use Factory ported ls3 heads or Promaxx/ Liberty heads with good seats and guides done for under $2k

 

You could use Factory ported ls3 heads or Promaxx/ Liberty heads with good seats and guides done for under $2k

I have a set of ported factory ls3 heads already but I was thinking that if I bought bare liberty or promaxx heads and had them gone threw with good valves and springs I could be in them less then 2k and have an 11 degree head with a thicker deck then stock with all good parts and I’m looking for a smaller chamber then stock to get my compression where I want it

 

Btw
Guy is running Promaxx LS3 heads on a 408 with a smaller Hydraulic roller below .250 degrees of duration @ 14 points of compression making 580ish thru a automatic. Wanting 140mph and a 9 sec slip.

 

You could also use factory ls3 heads at no Cost? Deck thickness is more important but if you've got a good tune what's boost. If your asking 25+ pounds on avg go with a better casting. Question I'd ask is whats the typical avg PSI guys are using on theses fast cheap junkyard 5.3 builds. With Factory junkyard 5.3 typical non ported heads being used.

Common Sense question to a friend...

What your saying is true on the aftermarket Promaxx or Liberty head but you'd be done if you thought about using what you already have.

Damn near a wash...if starting with nothing I'd say Promax but you already have a set of heads and boost will be making the hp. Get it going and get the other heads later.

 

Hell I could do you a set of Brodix Big Spring Ls7 heads...

You buy the casting for $1500 for both then we contact a few porter friends...


Use what you got...wink wink. I have factory ls3 heads and I wouldn’t buy another ls3 head. Maybe if you found a cheap set of ls9 heads being Boost ready. But.

What's the PSI and realistic expectations?
There's someone probably doing what your wanting for boost PSI using Factory casting heads. There's a certain point you'd want a real head. That's the real question is how much Booooooost your planning on using Realistically?

 

Well the goal is too go really fast with this setup so it’ll probably see 40+ psi which is why I was looking at aftermarket heads

also the stock ported heads are on my other motor which has seen 30psi with no issue but if I can leave that motor alone and do a better set of heads that don’t break the bank and can use my ls3 intake that’s the way I’d like to go

 

40psi through a stock intake? Impressive. I have heard of one turbo guy running the Promags heads and liking them. Mentioned they are super thick, but super thick and China usually means cheap material. If you have to stay LS3 architecture, I would get the Brodix BR3's. I have personally seen several sets of those and they are real nice for the $$$. The Trick Flow LS3's 255's are also real nice. I still think a big cathedral head is way better overall in that combo, but there is more than one way to do things.

 

your other choices are TFS, AFR, Brodix, All Pro, Mast and TSP for ls3 heads...

At 40 PSI I'd be on a Great aftermarket head myself...with the extra bolt. Turboll can say more about 40 PSI than myself but that's not avg guy boost levels.

 

If the deck measures what's listed go 4 it at

Monster .750 deck thickness

Pro Maxx or Liberty what's shown is from Pro Maxx

 

If the deck measures what's listed go 4 it at



Pro Maxx or Liberty what's shown is from Pro Maxx

the deck is the main reason I was looking at heads and no need for 6 bolt heads sense there going on a stock block eric wiengartner took a look at the liberty and promaxx heads at pri and said he was pretty impressed with both he does plan on getting one to check out more closely so hopefully he does that before I’m ready to buy heads

 

Subscribe and that's a Chinese head 4 you milled to the seats...

 

 

I was looking to buy a set of heads not long ago.. I priced out a few sets of "cheaper" heads.. They where only a few hundred more then a set of name brand heads... Name brand heads will hold there value and sell quicker... So I bought a set of hip'd TEA 245s....

 

FYI - Capizzi throwing 45+psi at TFS 220 1/2" 4 bolt on stock block with Clark copper and top fuel hoops. .750" deck 4 bolt can hold some steam!

 

Capizzi and Nigel are both running 45+ and Nigel’s doing it without top fuel hoops 😱

 

Correct. Nigel using fire rings not top fuel hoops. DBrods using fire rings also, up around 40psi. They work. For a 4 bolt short block that's already together, 1/2 " studs and fire rings are a good bet when pushing it > 30psi. For a max effort deal, I'd go top fuel hoops. Lastly, having a coolant pressure safety setup in ECU to shutdown engine and even consider deploying chute is not a bad idea.

 

I be seeing shit...saw a Elderbrock Ls3 head with the canted valves ported and developed further from otb cnc.

Damn it's to much and why can't I have this with a Ls7 casting 😫

 

dark eric just said in his pri vid he got to see the libertys an they where the nicer ones out the china heads. the factory ls3 only really need the throat an valve job done..the bowl is pretty big as is.

o.p id give the liberty a shot or buy some br 3 heads or some tfs 245s.

 

I’ve got brodix LS3’s

Brodix BR3, BR9, BRA (LS3,LSA,LS9)

With the combined feature of having a rigid Brodix A-356 aluminum casting with LMEs own porting, the BR3 cylinder head is an excellent choice when looking to improve beyond the factory GM LS3, LSA, or LS9 head. Standard attributes include precision CHE manganese guides with hollow stem intake...

latemodelengines.com

Worth every penny. I made the swap when my Texas speed heads started to split the castings.

 

With the Brodix it's like getting a some what cheaper casting just a hair in being not as good as Mast or All Pro casting CID also.

 

maybe, but they are still American made. LME does some good port work too so it equals out for what I can afford.

 

Not knocking the Brodix as it would be my 1st pick because of the price point.
$800 each vs $1100+ each as cast

I don't fuck with bitch ass LME.

 

I don’t anymore either. They turn their nose up at the average racer.

 

9 months to assemble a head and never Did.

Talked to Greg G and he referred me to Chet and the guys at West Side done in 1 week.

Read that again... 1 week although it wasn't OTB shit it was typical stuff done on the Avg SBC just being done on a LS3 head.

 

Brodix Ls3 heads?

 

FLOW NUMBERS WITH 4.125" BORE @ 28" WATER
LIFT	.100"	.200"	.300"	.400"	.500"	.600"	.700"		Valve Size
INTAKE	80	155	233	290	332	354	374		2.165"
EXHAUST	63	124	178	225	254	266	273		1600"

here are flow numbers for mine. They do Just fine for my application.

 

FLOW NUMBERS WITH 4.125" BORE @ 28" WATER
LIFT	.100"	.200"	.300"	.400"	.500"	.600"	.700"		Valve Size
INTAKE	80	155	233	290	332	354	374		2.165"
EXHAUST	63	124	178	225	254	266	273		1600"

here are flow numbers for mine. They do Just fine for my application.

how you been liking these an whats the combo again

 

Update I picked up a set of prc 260’s pretty cheap my machine shop was pretty happy with them

 

I use the brodix castings. for pretty much everything we do, Big chevy, LS etc
I have their BR7 heads on my whipple deal, and their BR3 on a all the boosts turbo deal we are building now
I have them put good seats and guides in every casting i get from them.
Get everything HIP treated.
Zero issues. The seats and guides and hip add to the cost of course, but well worth it