Educate me on hearts and heads

[Danny G]

OK so. I have decided not to mess with swapping in the EFI engine from the E150 into the F150 but will do a aftermarket efi set up later with an offy C intake. This is in part due to lack of resources and time, and the fact that I can get my hands on a completely built remanned 300 with warranty for $1300. I am going to keep my old engine to tinker with and just pay the $150 core charge. Ill strip desirable parts from the EFI engine, grab the transmission and scrap whats left (the wife is tired of looking at it).

With that I am told that the heart shaped combustion chambers on the EFI head is more desirable and can be bolted up to a non efi engine.

What do I need to look out for, is there any considerations that need to be taken into consideration when doing this? Pros/cons?

[Gary Lewis]

I think you'll be happy with a remanufactured engine. However, in doing so you lose the option of spec'ing the engine to meet your wants and plans.

Which takes me to the EFI heads. I do not know much about the 300's, but I have read a bit about heart-shaped heads for various engines. This article from On All Cylinders is an interesting read, and says “Heart-shaped chambers direct incoming fuel into the cylinder and helps with cylinder filling...” So that's good.

But, you need to pair the heads with the pistons and the cylinder block. Heads have spec's on the volume of the combustion chambers, and you need to make sure that the pistons in the engine, as well as the deck height of the block, when combined with the volume of the heads will give the compression ratio you want.

I don't know what the combustion chamber size is of the EFI heads, nor what the pistons' dish is. Or even anything about the block of a 300. But those are the things you need to consider. So when you order the engine you need to make sure that it will come with the right setup to go with the heads you will eventually install.

However, many remanufacturers don't provide many spec's. Perhaps that isn't an issue with the 300 components, but I don't know that. So I'd do my research were I you.

[Danny G]

I think you'll be happy with a remanufactured engine. However, in doing so you lose the option of spec'ing the engine to meet your wants and plans.

Which takes me to the EFI heads. I do not know much about the 300's, but I have read a bit about heart-shaped heads for various engines. This article from On All Cylinders is an interesting read, and says “Heart-shaped chambers direct incoming fuel into the cylinder and helps with cylinder filling...” So that's good.

But, you need to pair the heads with the pistons and the cylinder block. Heads have spec's on the volume of the combustion chambers, and you need to make sure that the pistons in the engine, as well as the deck height of the block, when combined with the volume of the heads will give the compression ratio you want.

I don't know what the combustion chamber size is of the EFI heads, nor what the pistons' dish is. Or even anything about the block of a 300. But those are the things you need to consider. So when you order the engine you need to make sure that it will come with the right setup to go with the heads you will eventually install.

However, many remanufacturers don't provide many spec's. Perhaps that isn't an issue with the 300 components, but I don't know that. So I'd do my research were I you.

I started digging today as well as posting here and it is doable but it appears to be a rather complicated process to get right and its very easy to go to far.

SO with that said. Ill scrap that idea. I still plan on putting a remanned engine in the truck and keeping the old one to tinker with.

 

[Frank Wyatt]

I started digging today as well as posting here and it is doable but it appears to be a rather complicated process to get right and its very easy to go to far.

SO with that said. Ill scrap that idea. I still plan on putting a remanned engine in the truck and keeping the old one to tinker with.

The EFI head would give you about a .5 point increase in your compression ratio. If you were to do the swap be sure to have the head reworked as they would check for cracks as I have heard that some of the EFI heads had issues with cracking but have not seen it myself. I suspect that the heads that cracked had also been over heated thus causing the crack. The EFI head is an upgrade that I have done before on an engine and I did not have any issues with. IF I have to pull the head on my current engine, I will change it to the EFI head, but only if I have to pull it.

[Rembrant]

...and the fact that I can get my hands on a completely built remanned 300 with warranty for $1300.

Is that a friend deal somewhere, or is that a standard price?

 

[Danny G]

...and the fact that I can get my hands on a completely built remanned 300 with warranty for $1300.

Is that a friend deal somewhere, or is that a standard price?

Standard price

[Danny G]

...and the fact that I can get my hands on a completely built remanned 300 with warranty for $1300.

Is that a friend deal somewhere, or is that a standard price?

Standard price

Not including for charges.

Next company up is 1600. These prices are not including delivery or core charges.

[Danny G]

...and the fact that I can get my hands on a completely built remanned 300 with warranty for $1300.

Is that a friend deal somewhere, or is that a standard price?

Heck you can get a 351 set up with heads etc from RA for relatively cheap.

[1986F150Six]

Heck you can get a 351 set up with heads etc from RA for relatively cheap.

To add to what Frank Wyatt said regarding the ~1/2 point rise in compression, the EFI head combustion chamber design is "fast burn", so timing adjustments will need to be made for the best performance.

[Frank Wyatt]

To add to what Frank Wyatt said regarding the ~1/2 point rise in compression, the EFI head combustion chamber design is "fast burn", so timing adjustments will need to be made for the best performance.

True, and in my opinion a better option than the hard to find 240ci head, even if you had one. I believe the fast burn heads would promote better combustion along with better cylinder filling as well. All of which would translate to better torque numbers and consequently horsepower as well. Add on a set of the EFI split exhaust manifolds with a intake water heat plate and you would have a good combination. None of which I will do unless I have a problem with the head that's on my engine now, but if I do, I already have the EFI exhaust manifolds. I only mentioned this as it is a viable option but there are other parts that need to be included to get the benefit that the EFI heads could offer. If a person did not want to use a water heat plate then it would be better to use a stock single outlet "log" intake like they already have.