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Edelbrock heads vs Indy

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kingsX View Drop Down
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    Posted: Sep/09/2017 at 10:52am
Hey guys, I'm gathering parts to build my 401 this winter and I'm debating on Edelbrock vs Indy heads. I'm somewhat copying Shootist's build but using a Vortec V3 blower rather than the Procharger he used. I'm sure both will perform excellently. Just looking for some pros/cons from folks who have used either or both. I appreciate all comments good or bad.

Thanks, Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken_Parkman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/09/2017 at 12:03pm
The Edelbrock is a street performance that is fairly nicely finished and reasonably engineered. It is not designed as a race head and port csa's are not hugely different than stock. It is a good street performance head, relatively bolt on, good for the average guy.

The Indy is a much more race oriented design and not as well finished. It has a raised SSR and the csa through the middle is huge, but the port inlet is squeezed down to stock csa to mate with a stock size port manifold. In stock form an Indy is a long way from optimized, and with the ports raised you need either china wall spacers or the Indy Intake, which is also huge. To make best use of an Indy it wants a lot more work, but also has a lot more potential. It is better for the guy who wants serious performance, and has the skills to make proper use of the head.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 401jim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/09/2017 at 1:39pm
Ditto with Ken!!!!! Indy is for racing and eddy is for mild performance.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Red Devil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/09/2017 at 1:40pm
I've got the Indy SRs on my street 401 with AirGap intake.   A couple advantages of Indy heads:
- can drill for extra head bolts without hitting water (no sleeves required). Not sure at what level with a blower extra bolts are needed?
- can order with springs to suit solid or roller cam up to 0.650" valve lift. My cam is 0.616"/0.624" so Edelbrock heads would need work to suit. I ordered the Indys set up to suit.  

However, as Ken said they required a fair bit of cleaning and prep work, check all bolt holes, deck flatness, valve runout, etc. 

I used the ARP bolt kit, made end rail spacers from aluminium square bar from Home Depot, machined for extra head bolts and used FelPro head gaskets and valley pan. Used Hooker 7103s which had previously been modified at flanges to fit stock heads. 

Haven't seen Edelbrock heads, but by all accounts they are a better bolt-on option for most street applications. 

Hope this helps,RD
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kingsX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/10/2017 at 11:14am
Thanks for the responses guys. My car is 90% street car with an occasional trip to the track. Sounds like Edelbrock's should be the way to go for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jcisworthy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/10/2017 at 12:55pm
The Edelbrock head is an excellent product and with 185CC's out of the box they have the cross sectional area of a ported set of iron heads. The bowl is larger and better than factory iron but the runner is small for a 2.02" valve if you care about sizing it There is enough casting material to open them up from the entrance to the top of the turn, which is where they need to be bigger. 

For a street car as described they are fine out of the box as long as they are taken apart and inspected and cleared of any issues. 

One thing I am up in the air about concerning them is the exhaust port which flows 160 out of the box on my bench, not the 190 advertised. 

With some porting I am sure this number will come up to advertised or more.  

Another exhaust concern is, the exit is a lot smaller than factory. 

Scribing a header gasket on the exit shows that if I match the bottom of the runner it will have about .080-.100 max for a sealing surface. 

I have decided to match from the floor up only. 

The ridge that will be left may have an added benefit of preventing exhaust pulse reversion but unless an A, B dyno test was done I do not know if it hurts, helps, or makes no difference.

All in all they are a very nice product.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jcisworthy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/11/2017 at 5:53pm
Specializing in dyno services, engine building, and cylinder head porting

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken_Parkman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/11/2017 at 6:25pm
The csa on the edelbrock exhaust is REALLY small where the bowl transitions around the bend. My opinion is it should be bigger for performance use. Would like the resources to properly test.

I've done a couple sets and been pretty happy with the results.

Have a set on my Rambler, and it was a bit of an experiment for max output in a truly street low maintenance application; "relatively" mild hydraulic cam (lotsa different opinions on that) and pump gas. I did not want the Indy height and port csa, although it is clearly a better head for the power I was looking for. So I went with Eddys and made the csa exactly what I wanted. A lot of work, and not really recommended for others, but sometimes I'm and idiot. It made 567 hp and 560 ft-lbs, so far an 11.05 @ 126 with the pathetic launch a street clutch and combo will give. That was in street trim, full "relatively" quiet exhaust. It's actually too much low end, even in 3rd it will blow the tires loose if you roll into the throttle. My wife is scared of it now; be careful what you ask for when you go hunting for torque.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jcisworthy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/11/2017 at 7:13pm
I agree on the small exhaust runner as cast. I will post runner volumes, flow and pictures when I am done with them later this week or next week. 

I think the intake runner will be around 195-200 cc's when I am done. That is if they are 185 cc's now as advertised. I did not measure them. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kingsX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/12/2017 at 2:06pm
Wow, I never realized the exhaust port was so much smaller than the headers. I would think there would be a lot to gain by opening this up. Are the iron heads like this too??
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