Is there any one out there running this head from Ford Racing? The part number is M-6049-X307. I can get a new set of these for right around 800. So if this is a good head it would save me some cash. I have a set of 302 D00E-B heads that I was going to have upgraded, until I seen this head.
Did a quick google search on them and saw that pistons need to be notched to run them so you might want to be sure on that. $800.00 is a good price for them they seem to run around $1,100. It would probably cost more money to upgrade the heads you have and they would still not perform as good as the aluminum heads and weigh 50 pounds more. I am an advocate of aluminum heads and would much rather have them than a set of iron heads, only down side to aluminum is you lose a point of compression over iron heads and you dont want to get them hot
The Ford site says you will only have to cut the pistons on the 85 5.0. But you are right I was looing at around 1000 to have my iron heads done. So I think I will try them anyway.
You'll only loose compression over an iron head if the chambers are larger in the aluminum head. Cooling is the same between the two once the engine reaches operating temperature. What I did after a couple of head gasket failures was to use the stock expanded graphite head gaskets and liberally coated them with Kopper-cote before assembly. Been about 5 years since doing that on the 331. And it occasionally reaches 260-270* before I remember to turn the electric fan on.
BADDAD457, are you running this head? And I am looking at the 58cc ones, so my compression will stay the same.
Well the compession thing is what has been told to me by many engine builders, I by far am no expert and it never swayed my decision about aluminum heads. As far as the notching of the pistons the reason it states that 85s need to have pistons notched is because 85 engines came with flat top pistons with no valve reliefs and newer models did, older model motors had no valve reliefs but were a dished piston and depending on the year the piston was down in the hole farther to lower compression, I am just saying check it out before you spend the money especially if you are going to stick a cam with some lift to it in there. Of course piston to valve clearance should always be checked
BTW baddad457 I respect your postings on this forum and look forward to reading what you post as you have experienced many things most people have not,so please do not think I am argueing with you
You're confusing compression difference with the supposed cooling difference between iron and aluminum. Only a difference in the chamber volume will affect the compression ratio from one head to another. And you've also got the year wrong on the pistons, it was the 86 HO that had the flat tops without reliefs. That and the 87-91 Crown Vic/Towncar/Marquis 5.0's also some of those year's T-Bird/Cougar 5.0's. And all pre 86 5.0's had reliefs, regardless of piston type.
you can run 1 point more compression with aluminum heads with the same timing before spark knock brad
