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world motown 220 heads for $300 a good deal?

9K views 45 replies 9 participants last post by  68NovaSS 
#1 ·
i have a chance to get a used set of world motown 220's cast iron with aluminum roller rockers for $300, is this a steal? seems like it to me, they are for my 400 i have with a crane 274h06 cam, currently has stock 882 heads
 
#4 ·
If the rockers are an unknown brand I'd offer him 200 and he can keep the rockers. It's a fair price for bare 220 cores, which is really all you're looking for. Tell him he can keep the springs too. If the guides and vj need work then you're looking at 300 bucks to get them to usable condition.
 
#6 ·
I gave him the $300 for them, their in good shape with not much time on them, the guy bought them for a high power boat engine (fresh water) but put the boat back to stock and sold it then moved away for years, made some big bucks and now moved back and is sellin off old projects cheap and getting new ones. im sure dart iron eagles are probly much better but these gotta be close to 100hp gain over untouched 882 heads and stock rockers. next is to sell the performer intake and qjet for a rpm airgap and 750 edelbrock
 
#13 ·
well regardless still more than i have now. if i would goto a cheap solid tappet cam like and elgin what would be a good grind? its an all stock 400, rings, bearings are new, these heads, an rpm or airgap intake, 750 carb, 1 5/8 headers. would a duntov 30 30 replica be good or something more modern?
 
#14 ·
This is probably a bit big for your application but I have a new PRC-108 cam that I'm not going to use with a set of direct lube Howards lifters that I'd sell you at a big discount.

specs:
108 248° 251° .531 .542 106° 279° 282°

I installed it in a short block on the engine stand so it has lube on it but I never even put the lifters in the block, it'd be good with a larger converter, and the lifters are supposed to be some of the best street solid tappet lifters out there.
 
#16 ·
This is probably a bit big for your application but I have a new PRC-108 cam that I'm not going to use with a set of direct lube Howards lifters that I'd sell you at a big discount.
specs:
108 248° 251° .531 .542 106° 279° 282°
I installed it in a short block on the engine stand so it has lube on it but I never even put the lifters in the block, it'd be good with a larger converter, and the lifters are supposed to be some of the best street solid tappet lifters out there.
The motor will need 10.5:1 to 12.0:1 static compression ratio to support this cam and with a intensity of only 31 degrees, It's workin' the lobes and lifter crowns pretty hard. Operating range- ~3200 to 7000 rpms.
 
#15 ·
"30-30" cams are better suited to 350 and lower displacement, vintage road racing applications. I would guess something like a 270 Magnum solid lifter grind or similar. Of course, we don't know your transmission, rear axle, torque converter (if equipped) and the intended usage of whatever vehicle this is.
 
#17 ·
T.I. Thoughts on a "typical" 400 SB with those heads and something like a 268 or 270 MFT? I suggested that due to not knowing his SCR, DCR, converter and rear. The 270 will be alright with a stock or near stock converter USUALLY; however, its far from ideal. If it was me, Id build the 400 with a milder cam and build for max mid range and torque for a street car. I wouldn't want to rev a 400SB with an unknown bottom end much over 5500 personally
 
#19 · (Edited)
Your thoughts align with mine.

What we are seeing on this and other forums is a continuation of the oft-quoted hot rodder's axiom "If some is good, more is better and too much is just right".

It's human nature to push the envelope and for those who have never built a motor, it's easy to use too much cam and too much static compression ratio in a street motor. The average newbie thinks he wants a 450 or 500 horsepower motor because that's what he's reading in Hot Rod magazine. These mags don't build 300 or 350 horsepower motors because that would not sell magazines. Truth be known, that's what the newbie needs, 9.0:1 static compression ratio, a 268/270 cam and a set of L31 heads.
 
#21 ·
im not sure what the compression would be, the stock pistons are dished, and i think my pistons are like .060 in the hole which i guess is how 400's are plus your the average .040 head gasket so thats .100 plus whatever the cc of the dish plus 64cc chamber is probly high 8s i assume. a local engine guru i talk to here and there said a comp xe 274 or lunati voodoo 276 (my decision but he supports comp) would make me more than happy, car is a junk 82 camaro with a 3.42 10 bolt, stock trans i think its a turbo 200? 3speed, stock converter, im not puting money into the car, eventually it will go to scrap and the engine will go into either a 73-87 4x4 or k5, or a 88-98 ext cab z71 carbed engine project.
 
#24 ·
If your "engine guru" told you to put a Comp 274 in a car with factory dished pistons, enormous heads, and a block that's not zero-decked; nevermind you don't have enough rear gear OR converter...I HIGHLY suggest you A. Get a new guru, and B. Buy a book and become an informed consumer. I'd also suggest he's trying to sell you on an engine that's more sizzle than steak; in essence, hoping the more obnoxious and annoying it is to drive, the more you'll think its a hot rod, brag about your bottom of the page camshaft, and how much of a Zen master he is. You'll be leaving a lot on the table. Dont take my word for it, I'm an idiot compared to some of the fellas here, but I know you don't have the compression, the converter or the rear gear to make that work. Look on the comp cams page, a 270 Magnum cam needs a deeper rear gear and probably a little more converter than stock and its RPMs are I think 1500-5500 or so. I'm not a fan of the 268 cams, personally they seem to under perform in a lot of cases. You could put a 262 solid lifter cam in there, with a pair of Vortec heads on top and out perform the racy 274 and 276 cams with your combo as it sits currently. What you have is a stock shortblock, you shouldn't wind it to the moon, but you can make a SERIOUS stump pulling, bare knuckled brawler. Sure it won't idle like a Harley, but it'll pull like a freight train to 5grand, and be happy with an over drive and 3.42s. You may want to look at drilling whatever heads you use for steam holes.
 
#26 ·
the heads already have steam holes, and no ones selling me an engine, I have it, the cam that's in it I picked out, I thought it was going to be a healthy cam for a mild engine that wasn't gona be over kill and sound awesome which the 274h06 is known for, but...... this would be true if it was on a 350 which all cam descriptions and suggested specs are based on. on a 400 this is not the case, the engine sounds near stock. I have 15% more engine, which plays a factor, didn't know that at the time, so on a 350 with good heads an xe 268 is very popular and the xe 274 is seen as too big, when you add 50ci the scenario is going to change. if I need different pistons no big deal. im not starting anything till after winters over so I have time.
 
#28 ·
The heads factor in BIG TIME in your simple view of cam duration.

On a stock or near stock port size the 268 is about all you want regardless of displacement. If you want more then you should have a bigger head too, and more compression.

I'm really surprised the 274h06 sounds near stock in your 400, it's not close to stock. What is your exhaust set up? I'd try it with the heads you bought and 1.6 rockers before you swap it. You'd only be out a couple gaskets by waiting.
 
#29 ·
your new heads seem big for your set up. they're good heads though, like a factory ported Sportsman II (which really isn't that bad) but newer and improved. there are worse heads out there, but your combo is a little mismatched. your static compression sounds low. stock pistons for a 400 are somewhere around 20-24cc dish I believe. with an optimum deck height, proper combustion chamber, and "ideal" head gasket thickness you're looking at 8.8-9:1. not really the best with your cam choice. there are some thinner head gaskets available for stock bore 400's, some MLS types for larger bores, you could bump your compression up with that if you keep your 270's cam.
the heads and cam really dictate what you should do with the engine. big heads, big cam, moves the power higher up. big heads, small cam, works for some but still moves the powerband up. if you're not driving your setup for very long or your not racing it or you're not changing the compression and gears, I'd just run that ***** till youre done with it and call it good. I wouldn't waste more time thinking about it. keep the cam, swap the springs and run it. who cares what it does? it'll run down the road and do all the stop light to stop light crap, it just wont perform like it's well thought out.
if you're keeping that 400 and those heads, I'd match them up with a 10:1 scr or better and build the engine for a little higher rpm range. if you think it all through it'll perform really well. it'll probably drive like **** around town, but it'll perform.
 
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