32 valve heads

Just been perusing web site for 32 valve heads, and they look horn! www.araoengineering.com/
Has anyone had any experience with these heads? Advantages/disadvantages?
Gordon - have you used these at all?

Cheers

I would like to try some of those! I've done lots of SB Ford engines but never 4 valve heads. I saw some of these from another company in the 90s but thought they had gone out of production or were not made any more. Looks interesting!

Ron

I've read anywhere from $4K to $5K for a set with valves, rockers, and springs for a Cleveland. Don't know if they are less for other engines or not. That sobers you up real quick....although it's not much worse than a good 8 barrel EFI setup with computer.
They do look impressive, although I'd like to see a better picture of the rocker setup.

Dave

about 4 years ago I talked to someone who had tried to run the heads in a Bonneville streamliner. According to him, he had nothing but grief, and could never make them work. If the mfgr has tested and proven the heads, there must be a dyno run available, as well as some on track test information. If the heads are legitimate, the mfgr should be happy to provide the results, or at least references to engine builders who have used them.

[ February 22, 2002: Message edited by: Michael ]

aero has them for windsor's and cleveland's, but no fe's. and they have flow charts and dyno information on the site.

4 valve heads can be wonderful, but, for the $$, better results could be had by mild supercharging, with one or two Eaton blowers...

I agree, but supercharging is not so easy on the GT40 packaging. You could use a centrifugal with a carb bonnet but I think it would look a little off.

A roots or lyshom screw design would be nice but could also be quite messy.

R

I was thinking two of them, tucked under the exhausts, with a inlet pipes running around to tubular plenums on top of short inlet trumpets ))
The Eatons seem to provide full boost from about 35% of peak power revs, plenty enough for those back tyres

Mark,

Those heads look absolutely HORN! What an ultimate circuit racer the GT40 would make with those - if they truly work. Give me a sweet high revving engine over a forced induction any day (Maybe combined with an aluminium block).

I guess you have thoroughly innvestigated this topic elsewhere as well. Have you found any further usefull information ?

those heads look bigger than the normal ones, make sure you'll have enough space before spending the money. Also, the way it works is there's some mechanism that make 1 pushrod operate on 2 valves. I don't think it's a good idea durability-wise.

Chris,
have found a bit more info on the heads.
Apparently there were some problems with wear on the valve stem tips, but that has been addressed by a redesign of the rockers. I am currently following up more info from someone who has bought a set to use for racing. They have also said that they paid significantly less than US5000 for the pair.
I am interested in these for two main reasons. First is that they would enhance the revability of the engine while still maintaining good torque. Second is that it would probably be easier and less expensive to extract some more horsepower when required in the future. You know how it is when racing - after a season or two you usually want more power! Of course we are all operating on budgets, so the real question with all these luxury items is are they worth it in terms of $/lap time?
For me these luxury items include
- 6 pot brakes
- alluminium block
- 32 valve heads
- penskes or ohlins with or without some telemetry
- 6 speed quaife sequential box
- motec data logger
- claude roulle seminar
The brakes and seminar are a given, the rest maybe one or two depending on finances. Of course its also great fun just to research about all these options - it makes the waiting for the car so much more exciting!

Hi Guys, I have a Penske Ilmore Pontiac/Chevy unit for sale at the moment. It is a development engine for the 1991/1992 series indy car. The engine is dynoed at 600 horse and is complete and ready to install. It comes with full front end pulleys, belted, dry sump and scavange pump. MSD race ignition, 850 holley, special Ilmore intake manifold, big ally modified heads, ultralite flywheel and triple plate clutch! It has never run in a car just on the dyno for flow metering. The block is all internally polished etc. A very expensive to reproduce engine available at not a great expense. If you require pictures or more details, E-Mail me and i will send info. I was thinking of putting it in my lightweight Pantera......
All the best
Mark Sibley