how much hp can a stock head take with a fully built bottom end ? just a rough estimate would be good? or how much could i run with just cams?

 

600+

 

without damaging anything???

 

You can make waay more than that even, but why? I wouldn't really risk dropping a valve in my freshly built motor, but that's me. To some people it's worth the risk I guess? I chose to go with Jim Stewart for my head so I can make power more efficiently, more reliably and is much cheaper than a 2nd bottom end if my stock head **** itself.

 

true...question??? what about a whole skunk2 setup. im not gonna have to get the head ported or anything like that, will i?

 

I have a civic thats a customers of mine that runs a stock port gsr head and full valvetrain on a built bottom end with an s372 making 831whp so I say sky's the limit. I mean the powerband could and would be better with a ported head!

 

my goal was to hit about 500whp with a stock head. could it be done or would it be too risky?

 

Bone stock head with no valvetrain??? I bet it can be done but I wouldnt risk spitting a valve into the bottom end...

 

i don't see what the problem would be with the stock one as long as you kept the revs to no more than 8200rpms or so....

wouldn't revs be the determining factor in whether the stock valvetrain would handle the power?

how/why would the stock head and valvetrain fail if you could make the power within the stock rev limiter?

 

thats what i thought. and its not gonna be stock for long either. hopefully only 6 or 7 months

 

Because there is an additional positive pressure trying to keep your valve springs open in a boosted application. With that in mind I made 500ish whp with my stock head on my old setup. I had crower valvesprings and retainers though. It lasted fine for 25k miles, but I figured it was going to blow everytime I took it near the rev limit.

 

do u i even wanna kno what happened after 25k lol

 

rev limit is the deciding factor with stock vs. upgraded valvetrain.


rev it as far as its capable of, and you'll be fine.

there are just as many problems with stock valves as there are with aftermarkets , i wouldnt worry about that.