can someone tell me the difference between a shovelhead and an ironhead?

 

older shovelheads have the kidney style crankcase...newer shovelheads maintain somewhat of the kidney style but have a cone shape protruding.
ironheads have an elongated case cover and different positioning of the pushrod tubes also shovels (looking at the heads) have a smooth curved top edge ironheads has a bit of a notch between the bolts

 

I think Ironheads are noisier

 

Excuse me, but did you not ask 'what the difference is between a shovelhead and an ironhead?' I do not understand the replies made by the other members here.
You cannot compare them because they are different engines put into different machines.
Ironheads: Engines put into Sportsters from 1957 to 198? Displacement was 900cc to 1000cc.
Shovelheads: Engines put into big twins such as FL,FLH etc between 1966 and 197? or 198?. I am not sure about that last year.

Here is a quick history rundown on the shovel engine and it's father and sons:
Back in the 1930's there was the flathead engine.
In the 1940's (first in 1947) was the knucklehead engine. This came in both 61 cu inch and 74 cu inch versions.
In the 1950's came the panhead engine. Last made in 1965. This was a 74 cu inch engine.
The shovelhead was the next model.
Following the shovel came the EVO engine.
The EVO was followed by the TwinCam-88 that is still made today.
All of these engines were fitted into a big twin frame. The engines were separate from the transmissions, compared to the ironhead Sportsters that have always been a unit construction design. There is no way to compare these engines with a Sportster ironhead.
But, to answer the question you ask.....the differences are too many to even list........pg

 

I guess the simple answer is this: Shovelhead=Big Twin, Ironhead=Sportster motor. 1985 was the last year for the ironhead Sportster. i used to own one.

 

well said pg

 

pg you da man, keep em all straight

 

I'll add that the Sportster had the "shovel" shaped rocker box first. Also, they originally had no notches, similar to the look of the later big twin "shovels". The original big twins were flatheads, which is the real name of a type of head with side valves. When the first ohv big twin came out, it was nicknamed the knucklehead, keeping the practice of identifying engines with a "head" name, and so-on up to today. There was no need to call a Sportster engine anything but a Sportster engine for 29 years. When the evo Sportster came out in '86, people then felt the need to name the versions of Sportster engines. Some mistakenly call them shovelheads, because of the rocker box shape,but others call them Ironheads, which is a much better name. I prefer Ironhead because it's a Sportster, not a big twin, and calling two completely different engines the same thing because of a similar-shaped part leads to the confusion evidenced by the original poster.

 

I still say the Ironhead is noisier LOL

 

Shovelhead = "Big Twin" separate transmission and engine cases 1 camshaft
Ironhead = transmission and engine in came casted crankcase 4 camshafts
I think only common thing is that: Rocketbox looks same.