So I am in process of a 103" / 255 cams build up of my 08 FXDF. RH Crossbacks and SE Heavy breather. Before reading here I was also going with the SE heads. So much negative feeling here with most going to custom heads.
So whats the skinny?
Thanks for your responses!

 

Its all about building a package to work together.....when you get a set of heads done by a good porter the heads will be made to work with the cam, compression, intake, and exhaust your using. The porter will take care of all the necessary modifications to thehead so it meets the requirments of the build. When you buy a set of heads off the shelf there is no way the shelf knows what your running so it can't possibly optimize your build. Since the heads are a MAJOR factor in the performance of the build it is necessary to have them done right. Most people don't care about how much bang for the buck they get so SE Heads, and other off the shelf heads, will give them the little boost they'relooking for.....some guys buy the Off the Shelf heads and then get them worked over by the porter so now he/she is spending the money twice for the same results he/she could have got from just having his/her heads done.

 

And then again, some guys buy SE heads new at 1/2 off, figure out how to get someone else to pay for them, and have them ported for about the same labor cost as porting their stock heads, with superior results. And my porter assured me that to duplicate the velocity performance of ported S&S or SE or Edelbrockheads, the amount of welding and machining necessary would make it far less expensive to justbuy aftermarket heads than stock. But there's nothing wrong with going cheap, as I believe Doc1 would agree with.

 

Firetender, who do you know that's getting'superior results' from worked SE heads over worked stockers?

VicW.

 

Your "porter" is trying to "sellyou" something. Porting services, crack, who knows...???...

S/E heads will NEVER provide "superior results" to a set of professionally reworked stock heads from aquality shop like Head-Quarters, R&R, Baisley, and many others.

You mentioned velocity... the S/E performance heads have valves that areTOO BIG and ports that areapproaching the size of a tennis ball can. You willNOT get the velocity from those heads that you will from professionally done heads, you just won't.

While it is possible to make a decent riding bike withcertain S/E heads in the "right" combination... but "superior".... not a f'ing chance. Sorry... it is what it is.

I can't speak to the S&S heads, but I will say that every Edelbrock Twin Cam buildI have ever seen hasgrossly underperformed their advertised results.

 

You go Phil!!

...but you forgot to mention Dewey. HAHAHAHA >kidding<

VicW.

 

With the price they get for the SE heads, you can get much better results for less money by having your stock heads worked on.

Check out www.bigboyzheadporting.com


Steve

 

Having done HD builds and then a kit build from HQ with them working the stock heads I can emphaticlly agree that having the heads done to match your build gets you more bang for your buck.

I a not trashing anyones HD build as some of them really do seem to stand out but it is kinda the luck of the draw as chamber sizes vary, on some of the heads the valve sizes are too big to maximize velocity, and the quality of the porting work just doesn't compareto a goodreworking of stock heads, or other heads such as those from R&R. Ialso agreewith Phil here that I too have not heard of many satisfied customers running Edelbrock heads.

For those contemplating a build, check with the reputable aftermarket suppliers, HQ, MR, Hillside, Hyperformance, etc, they are knowlegable and if you give them the right info on your riding style, they will taylor the heads and other components to that style.

 

Edelbrock package pumps
#180 to 185 Cranking Compression


HQ packages always pumps 200-205


more compression makes power......

 

Very well said Phil...I agree