Trick Flow Heads and Intake. Worth the Cost?

[Thyme]

I've got a '97 GT with a nearly bone stock engine. I'm currently saving up for a set of prepped 38cc TFS heads from Modular Head Shop, with either their stage 2.5 or 3 cams to go with it. I've also gotten my hands on a TFS street burner intake with a mystery 75mm TB. Between the cost of parts, shop labor, and tuning, I'm looking at being out around 8-9k once its all said and done. What I'd like to know is, is this going to be worth it for the power gained? And what kind of power have you guys seen similar setups make?

 

[lwarrior1016]

Man, you might get 375 rwhp out of it. Best 2v I’ve seen was like 398 and it was a 5.0 stroker with big cams that they spun real high. 2v, horsepower, and cost effective just don’t go together. I really like the 2v’s, they just aren’t powerhouses. Im pretty convinced that a coyote swap could be pieced together for 8-9k.

 

[Thyme]

Man, you might get 375 rwhp out of it. Best 2v I’ve seen was like 398 and it was a 5.0 stroker with big cams that they spun real high. 2v, horsepower, and cost effective just don’t go together. I really like the 2v’s, they just aren’t powerhouses. Im pretty convinced that a coyote swap could be pieced together for 8-9k.

I was ballparking it around 350, depending on if I modified the exhaust and added some long tubes in place of the stock manifolds. If it made anything close to 375 without a massive cam, I'd be amazed.
Speaking of the coyote swap, I saw some scammy looking facebook listing trying to sell a 5.2 Voodoo for $1.7k. How about that for a swap haha.

 

[lwarrior1016]

I was ballparking it around 350, depending on if I modified the exhaust and added some long tubes in place of the stock manifolds. If it made anything close to 375 without a massive cam, I'd be amazed.
Speaking of the coyote swap, I saw some scammy looking facebook listing trying to sell a 5.2 Voodoo for $1.7k. How about that for a swap haha.

I didn’t even think about exhaust. I automatically assumed it would have long tubes on it. And that power number was an absolute best case scenario. I’d probably think along your lines and think around 350.

Voodoo for 1.7k huh? That totally sounds legit. Lol

 

[Thyme]

I didn’t even think about exhaust. I automatically assumed it would have long tubes on it. And that power number was an absolute best case scenario. I’d probably think along your lines and think around 350.

Voodoo for 1.7k huh? That totally sounds legit. Lol

I've had a set of mystery manufacturer long tubes I picked up for $200, just decided I'd be better off doing those if/when the heads get swapped, since I'm having a shop do the install and tuning for me.

I'm thinking I'll stick with this engine for now, unless a crazy deal on a coyote jumps out at me. It'll probably take me forever to get bored of her at ~350hp

 

[ttocs]

Am I the only one that is surprised by an 8-9k estimate to do a HCI swap? I know the pushrod parts I am use to are cheaper and I swapped my heads/cam to trickflow over a decade ago when things were a TAD cheap but that price just seems amazing to me.

 

[apsmith49921]

It's just because modular heads are insanely expensive.

A FBO cammed 2v is usually good for 300-310 wheel. 350 seems like a little bit of a stretch to me with stock displacement. I'd do a little more research on the head stuff and see what you can find numbers wise. Also that number is gonna depend on how high you spin it.

 

[lwarrior1016]

It's just because modular heads are insanely expensive.

A FBO cammed 2v is usually good for 300-310 wheel. 350 seems like a little bit of a stretch to me with stock displacement. I'd do a little more research on the head stuff and see what you can find numbers wise. Also that number is gonna depend on how high you spin it.

350 can be had with enough compression and a big enough cam. But it typically takes a short runner intake and a bunch of rpm to do it.

 

[Thyme]

It's just because modular heads are insanely expensive.

A FBO cammed 2v is usually good for 300-310 wheel. 350 seems like a little bit of a stretch to me with stock displacement. I'd do a little more research on the head stuff and see what you can find numbers wise. Also that number is gonna depend on how high you spin it.

This car is the closest I've found to what I'm looking at for now. I'm looking at the same heads and cams, a trick flow intake, plus long tubes on a custom 2.5" exhaust sans crossover pipe or cats. Biggest difference will be my stock NPI iron block vs. his bored out teksid.

For right now I haven't and don't currently have plans to dig into the bottom end on this car due to being on a less than ideal budget, But I'd love to get it safely making power out beyond 7k rpm with a nice rotating assembly. Around March of next year is when I should be getting the top end done if I stick with it. If it ends up disappointing me, I guess I'll just have to save up more fun money for the bottom end and a bigger cam.

 

[d.garza18]

Man, you might get 375 rwhp out of it. Best 2v I’ve seen was like 398 and it was a 5.0 stroker with big cams that they spun real high. 2v, horsepower, and cost effective just don’t go together. I really like the 2v’s, they just aren’t powerhouses. Im pretty convinced that a coyote swap could be pieced together for 8-9k.

I with the coyote. A guy local to me had a wrecked 2013 while drivetrain for $4500 with accessories everything. I should have got it. One of my many regrets

 

[d.garza18]

This car is the closest I've found to what I'm looking at for now. I'm looking at the same heads and cams, a trick flow intake, plus long tubes on a custom 2.5" exhaust sans crossover pipe or cats. Biggest difference will be my stock NPI iron block vs. his bored out teksid.

For right now I haven't and don't currently have plans to dig into the bottom end on this car due to being on a less than ideal budget, But I'd love to get it safely making power out beyond 7k rpm with a nice rotating assembly. Around March of next year is when I should be getting the top end done if I stick with it. If it ends up disappointing me, I guess I'll just have to save up more fun money for the bottom end and a bigger cam.

I would suggest getting some cams from Todd warren to pair with the tfs if you decide to go that route. His cams have great results

 

[96blak54]

Yuck

 

[Snorky]

This is a bit old, but do the work yourself. It sounds like they want to charge you an r and a leg to do the work. all you need is maybe $350 of tools... tops and that's with being a bad shopper. The hardest part is the timing, and even that isn't so bad. It would save you thousands.

 

[badass98svt]

Totally not worth it.
Throw a Vortech on it, make more power, and save some $

 

[Thyme]

This is a bit old, but do the work yourself. It sounds like they want to charge you an r and a leg to do the work. all you need is maybe $350 of tools... tops and that's with being a bad shopper. The hardest part is the timing, and even that isn't so bad. It would save you thousands.

I'd love to do the work myself, but my current living situation makes that pretty difficult. Shop itself wants ~$2k to do the heads, intake, timing chain and guides, and tune. I'd be supplying 90% of the parts.

Totally not worth it.
Throw a Vortech on it, make more power, and save some $

I thought about it, but running boost just isn't what I want to do right now. My current use for this car is as a fun daily, and I'd like to eventually build this engine for high RPM applications. The trick flow heads just seem to be the right choice for that.

 

[Snorky]

I'd love to do the work myself, but my current living situation makes that pretty difficult. Shop itself wants ~$2k to do the heads, intake, timing chain and guides, and tune. I'd be supplying 90% of the parts.

I thought about it, but running boost just isn't what I want to do right now. My current use for this car is as a fun daily, and I'd like to eventually build this engine for high RPM applications. The trick flow heads just seem to be the right choice for that.

Could always do a centri at 9 lbs and a set of cams/springs. That would allow you to rev it out valve train wise. And make some 400+ whp

 

[Thyme]

Could always do a centri at 9 lbs and a set of cams/springs. That would allow you to rev it out valve train wise. And make some 400+ whp

It looks appealing, but from what I've read boost can be a bit sketchy on a stock bottom end and transmission. That, and I want to avoid the big drop in fuel economy that comes with supercharging.

Since everyone seems to love boost here, what's the take on running a turbo versus a centri in these cars?

 

[badass98svt]

It looks appealing, but from what I've read boost can be a bit sketchy on a stock bottom end and transmission. That, and I want to avoid the big drop in fuel economy that comes with supercharging.

Since everyone seems to love boost here, what's the take on running a turbo versus a centri in these cars?

Turbo will be my vote everytime, but I'm bias.

A centri is definitely cheaper though.

 

[RAU03MACH]

I'm not into the trick flow stuff the cost alone will drive you away
I'd buy the ford racing equipment before anything else
That is just me if I do see the parts cheaper I'll pick them up

 

[ttocs]

know we need to keep mpg in mind as well?! Ever thought about some NO2? I remember talking to someone that mentioned how he put some on his 2v and was really surprised how it woke it up.