Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on what the feel are the best heads for a 302 engine. Please try to give some facts for your choice like price, flow ratings, etc.., The reason, cause i said so isn't gonna cut it

I have keep hearing that TrickFlow heads are supposed to be great. Everybody I see at websites on who own a 5.0 put them on. I will put what the Summit Racing catalog says about the heads:

61cc combustion chamber
2.02" intake/1.60"exhaust
.56" thick combustion chamber walls

Go to TrickFlow website and go to the 5.0 Registry and ask the people there.

For a mild buildup, I think a set of GT40 heads would do just fine.
If you plan to get serious with the motor and want good flow #'s, get AFR. They're simply the best (in my opinion)...

i believe my uncle has tsw aluminum heads on his 1989 saleen. they hold up pretty well for him. hes pushing 8 lbs of boost from a vortech s trim. the aftermarket heads are also a lot lighter.

AFR also makes great heads.
In my opinion, they are better then Dart and TrickFlow

sorry about the confusion, i meant TFS heads :flipa:

For a mild to moderate build up, use Ford's GT-40 kit with matching intake and one of the "303" series cams. If your going moderate to extreme and want to run a blower, use the Trickflows. FYI, they have their one intake manifold to match, you can get in natural (aluminum) or in black!

Makes me want to build an injection motor!

I have the GT40 TurboSwirls, very good head for the money.

As for the best head for a 302 is a catch 22. Actually, for any engine its a catch 22.

It all depends on what you want out of the engine. Like what was mentioned before it is the marriage between the intake, cam, head, compresion, timing events, and exhaust.

I can have a $3000 set of heads, but if I only have a cam that has a mild duration and lift, say 220/220 480/480 those heads are pointless.

What are you looking for? Most heads for 302s have had countless of hours of engineering behind them, and they work very well.

You can't go wrong with Edelbrock, TFS, AFR165, not 185's too big,FMS, Dart, World Product, and Canfields.

I would go

1. TFS Track
2. AFR 165
3. Edelbrock Performer RPM
4. Brodix
4. GT-40
5. Dart
6. World Product

Top 3 can be switch depending on what the rest of your set-up will be, but to me they are a little better engineered than the other 4.

If you are going all out race engine you can not beat Canfield or the TFS R series.

It has been a while since I have looked at numbers, but from off the cuff this is my thinking.

90Notch...
I think you need to make an appearance to answer this question... :D

If you want a guy that KNOWS his Mustangs, HE is the guy to talk to!

ok, this is a real simple one.

For the street (going to work and back, and playing on the weekends) I would highly recommend Edelbrock performer heads, ford racing gt40x, or AFR 165cc. Stay away from TFS, they are shit. Dart/World seems to be runners up in the garbage contest. Holley makes a nice flowing head, but they like to blow valve stem seals constintly.

I have 3 nice combo's that I swear by.

Combo 1
Edelbrock 6037 heads, Performer Manifold, 1.6 roller rockers, e303 cam, 65mm TB, 75mm MAF and 24# injectors (this combo if tuned properly can make over 300 at the wheels)

Ford Racing GT40 (64cc) heads, Cobra intake, 1.6 roller rockers, e303 cam, 65mm tb, 75mm maf and 24# injectors (good for about 280 at the wheels)

My Balls out street combo

AFR 165's, Holley Intake, 70mm TB, 75mm Maf, b303 cam, 30# injectors (good for 350 at the rear wheels, but noticable loss in low rpm torque do to holleys gigantic intake)

Why do you think TFS are shit, if they are set-up correctly they are very good.

You really like the alphabet cams? I really want to change mine out, when I get a chance. For it is not nessassarily the power, but the way the car idles. I am looking for more like 216/222, lift of 500/510, lobe sep of 114.

I am going to do this when I change to an SQ.

He doesn't like the heads because in a few different cases, the heads have been faulty. Ever seen a BRAND NEW block go "kaBOOM" when you start it for the first time? Not fun.

Also, aren't TFS heads 23 degree? Mustangs are 17 degree in the first place. Poor design concept to begin with....

The poor design inables it to out flow the others. As long as the heads are set-up correctly you will not have a problem with them. You can use GT-40P valve guide modifing kit on these heads and you will not burn the valve guides, or have any other problem associated with the so called poor design.

I have seen what you are talking about, right when summit took over there was a problem with crappy production, but that has been takin care of.

the TFS head is a cheap peice of shit. Look at the valves, the valve guides, the wierd ass angle. Then look at the spring seat... it ain't even hardened. Why go thru the trouble of making that head work, when you can get an AFR for a tad more and haul ass with no worries.

As for the cam, you want to chop... f303 is a nice chompy cam for the street. 512/512 286/286

exactly how is TFS shit? :rolleyes:

I think he just EXPLAINED to you why he thought they are shit.

did you ever build a brand new motor and have a valve seat give up the ghost in the first 3 minutes of runtime? The valve made a grand entrance out the side of the block. Fuck that, I'll never buy those shit heads again.

I have heard about the horror stories these heads have had in the past. I am sorry you had that happen to you. That really does suck.

I know a few friends that have set them up and have lasted over 50,000 miles and still going strong.

Like I said before, I know there was a period where the stuff they made was complete crap, but the new ones have been upgraded. Albeit, I know you will never give them another chance, and I really do not blame you.

I do agree about the the AFRs, very good product out of the box.

MY personal favorite heads (non 302 heads) are the 4 valve heads for LT1s. Yes, they cost $5500 for a basic set of heads, but the flow #'s on them are amazing.

I think that the gt-40 heads are very nice I believe the ports are at 65cc, but if you want those kind of heads go for aluminum they are about 25 pounds lighter, also if you are looking to save money and you want some heads that are comparable to the gt-40's hit the junkyards and find a 351w and pull the heads off of it and put them on your 302 they don't perform quite as well as the gt-40's but they are dang close and much cheaper.

Why do you think Bennett Racing ($$$) uses Trickflow. You can always purchase a bare set of heads and custom purchase your springs, valves, pushrods...etc

I ran a pare of Trickflow street heads (I'm switching to r series) and made over 500hp with just an s-trim. I have the option of having John Bennett port my current setup or just go with the big daddies. Look at what the Mustangs in NMRA are running. I never had a problem of wear on any parts. Any idiot can install them! Just remember, closed minded people are IGNORANT. AFR are also great heads!
And I've beaten hotrods, Hennessy Vipers, ferraris, porshes with just an e303 cam. I seem to like my alphabet cam.
-my $.02

__________________________
3000lb 1992 LX. Ford r302 block (327 c.i.) Ported Holley Sytemax 2 intake (Stage 3), Accel DFI Gen 7, YS Vortech Blower, Aeromotive fuel system, Hydraulic Comp Cams .565 lift, Full coilover, moser Engineering rearend with 4.10s. Positive it will run low 10's, shooting for 9.90s. And it's still somewhat streetable!

Look in one of the other head threads. I wrote up some stuff about the AFR heads compared to TFS, GT40P, etc. They're all nice heads, but seemingly, the best power has been from the AFRs.

AFR...no questions asked. theyve come out on top in the past 4 mm&ff magazines in the ultimate head test article

AFR...no questions asked. theyve come out on top in the past 4 mm&ff magazines in the ultimate head test article


yes. that is true. Afr's are the best heads, hands down.

Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on what the feel are the best heads for a 302 engine. Please try to give some facts for your choice like price, flow ratings, etc.., The reason, cause i said so isn't gonna cut it

I use to believe the GT40 heads were the best, then I read an article about AFR 185 heads and how they added a honest 75 HP to the car with no other mods...

GT40 heads suck, and are out dated. There is so much better out there now a days.