Easy 9 sec drop in, Ethan could have it installed and running in a week - lol! https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/fresh-494-stage-2.387639/
I was hoping the 90s wives tale of you need more compression with aluminum heads would die already...its simply not true
I believe it’s not that you NEED more compression with aluminum. Although you most certainly can get away with a little more compression with aluminum heads without detonation versus iron with detonation.
Aluminum heads with a Heart shape chamber can tolerate 1/2 point more compression then a iron head, actually maybe more depending on a stack of other details, but 1/2 point is safe. If your on the edge with too much cam and limited vacuum then that added 1/2 point will be noticed.
It's the same deal with blocks...iron will make more power given everything else is the same but from what I've seen its not a too much be there....with aluminum heads and a healthy cam I have zero issue with 11.25 or so on 93....any more and I feel like you probably playing with fire in a heavyish car
Good example of the ragged edge. Heavy car, lots of compression, iron heads, highway gears. Previously ported '67 430 "big port" heads, angle milled to 59cc and TA 308S solid cam with similar specs to the new cam below. Even with total ignition timing on the conservative side, engine wouldn't tolerate keeping traction and heavy throttle in warm weather on 93 octane without detonating. Good example would be WOT in a 2nd gear romp. '67 Wildcat 2dr @ 4575 lbs on the scales at Milan Dragway 462 @ true 11:1 static compression ratio 2" equal length custom headers TA SP1 single plane intake w/Barry Grant 1000cfm square bore 3.07:1 posi rear (haven't switched to 3.42:1 yet, stay tuned) Now with Gessler Level 3 TA SE aluminum heads, 59cc chambers and TA 294-04F solid flat tappet cam installed straight up: VALVE LIFT TA ROLLERS 1.65 RATIO: IN: 0.602" EX: 0.622" DURATION AT 0.050" lift IN: 258° EX: 273° ADVERTISED IN: 294° EX: 304° LOBE CENTER: 108° Since the switch to aluminum, locked timing at 34° and zero issues on 93, even w/plug inspection all looks fine. DRAMATIC low/mid/high end performance difference with Greg Gessler's porting of the TA aluminum heads (there's that heart-shaped chamber) compared to my irons, and similar cam timing. Truly the iron heads were a bottleneck. Haven't been to the track yet. What's interesting to think about is that the noticeably better performance is due, of course, to better cylinder filling...and even with more packed in, detonation issues are gone. Seems a much happier combo. Devon PS just sayin, I even worked the iron combustion chambers to help with the detonation. Polishing, broke sharp edges...wasn't enough.
Devon, you have Gessler signature aluminum heads there.... That addition must have been well worth the $$ & effort for the result.
