ATK Engines 2C43: Remanufactured Cylinder Head for 1970-1976 Chevy/GMC Truck, Car, & Van with 454ci/7.4L V8 - JEGS (2024)

FAQs

What does an upgraded cylinder head do? ›

Improved throttle response, 'fatter' power and torque curves, and peak horsepower can all be generated through selecting the right cylinder heads for the engine combination.

While the broken piece has been replaced, other pieces that are fine for now still have to go through countless heat cycles. Eventually, they will also meet their set tolerances, failure is inevitable. From a longevity standpoint, remanufactured cylinder head is a better option.

Rebuilding a cylinder head means only the broken components like springs, valves, injector sleeves, or guides will be fixed. It involves welding these cracks to fix the cylinder head and put them all together.

Needless to say, the cylinder head is a major component in building horsepower and torque. Because the way the shape and size of the combustion chamber affects so much of an engine's operation, you have to choose the appropriate selection, not just the one with the best peak numbers.

While sometimes a targeted head repair is all an engine needs, there are other times when the engine as a whole is nearing the end of a wear cycle, and the time and money for a head refresh would be better spent replacing or rebuilding the whole engine.

Just converting to a 64-cc Vortec head will instantly bump the compression from 8.5:1 to 9.8:1–more than a full point improvement. A simple compression ratio jump like this is easily worth a four- to five-percent increase in power.

A rebuilt cylinder head will last around 300,000 miles before you will once again face engine trouble.

You should talk to your machinist and get his suggestions and projected costs to overhaul these heads but odds are the bill will be a $1,000 or more, and that's without any performance-enhancing work such as porting.

How much does it cost to redo a cylinder head? ›

The average cost for a Cylinder Head Replacement is between $3,643 and $4,001. Labor costs are estimated between $1,215 and $1,533 while parts are priced between $2,428 and $2,469. This range does not include taxes and fees, and does not factor in your unique location. Related repairs may also be needed.

Cracked or warped head: A cracked or warped cylinder head can cause significant engine problems such as loss of compression, coolant leaks, and overheating. In such cases, replacement of the cylinder head is necessary to restore the engine's performance.

The heads were choking the engine with that big cam and the cranking compression went from 165lbs to 220lbs with the smaller chambers along with a tight quench. Depending on your cam, you can gain anywhere from 40-70hp. Cam and heads can gain you 100+hp.

These heads feature channels that allow fuel and air to flow into the combustion chamber and exhaust gasses to exit. The efficiency with which a cylinder head manages these flows significantly impacts performance. Improved airflow helps improve combustion and enhances power and fuel economy.

Did you know that a broken cylinder head not only causes coolant to leak, but it can also cause your engine to overheat, and in some cases, this can cause your engine to blow up? This will almost certainly call for a cylinder head replacement.