evo heads is it worth it

[dynaroman]

hi i got a 1996 dyna , had it for a year now, and done the usual mods.
Andrews 46 cam,
Hooker pipes,
S.E air fitter,Ignition Module,Performance Coil,
JE 10.5:1 compression pistons,
Mikuni HSR-42

Now it come to the heads, i had a mate do a 5 dergee angle valve job. the question is now is it worth getting performance valves or S.E heads. and if i do how will it effect low, mid range power.

I mate of mine said if i get performance valve or S.E heads it take away low mid range power and moves it to the high end range is this right.

[wfolarry]

I mate of mine said if i get performance valve or S.E heads it take away low mid range power and moves it to the high end range is this right.
He's not wrong but he's not entirely right either. A good set of heads can give up nothing down low & gain something up top. Heads that are too big for the motor will do just what your friend says.

[dynaroman]

what would you recommend i do with my heads

[wfolarry]

With that cam I wouldn't be spending a lot of money on heads. You had a 5 angle valve job done. Clean up the ports & run it.
The SE heads are nice [have them on my bike] but if you go that route you're looking at new pistons as well. Staying with the 46 & spending all that money you would not be getting a good return on your investment.

[dynaroman]

thanks mate think i just leave the heads and ride it

[blackjackcustms]

Porting, done right, increases power everywhere. SE heads are 90% of the way to really good A/M ported heads, if not more. The big thing that will kill low rpm power is really high compression with too much cam. It takes alot to be too much. 10.5-1 and an edelbrock .600, with good heads makes a really fun 80-85ish horsepower with good low end pull and not too bad of gasoline sensitivity. This assumes a decent pipe, ignition, and carb.

I installed the harley 90 hp kit (S/E heads, S/E 57 cam, 10.5-1, etc) and the cust wanted to keep his sampson huge drag pipes. 70hp tops, no matter what we did. Finally he bought an RB LSR pipe, and it went straight to 88hp. With a less radical combo the diff is less, but when you have a nice motor, the wrong pipe can ruin everything!

[whitebuell]

If you really want a fast and smooth Dyna...Angle top pistons from Axtell, headquarters HQ-23 cam+ valve springs, tight squish, standard heads but flowed(don't buy those SE heads, the're not worth the money)Good exhaust system(supertrapp) and that combo should give you 100 HP at the rear wheel with lots of torque...at least my softail did ;-)

[blackjackcustms]

SE heads are not that bad, but for the G note they cost,you could save a coupla hundred and have your's done just as good. SEs are probably 80-90% there, and as good as many porters heads. I dont like the extra heavy valves, but otherwise they are as advertised. They should come with shorter valve guides to clear .600 cams, though. It's annoying to have to dissassemble them and cut them.

Everyone has a combo they like. I use Edelbrock .600 cams, 10.5-1, 1.900 intakes, and they make high 80s to low 90s hp everytime. I once ran an S&S .600, with 11.5-1 in my 80", and it flew, but I lost bottom end power, and it wore out the top end fast. The very first set of heads I ever ported made 85/80 hp/tq, on an 80".


Porting your heads is VERY worth it, and has almost no downsides other than cost.

[fairlydangerous]

SE heads need more compression. Bigger valves or ports, can't remember. They add a little compression to stock pistons but you will still loose a little down low with the 46 if you don't bump comp up. Get some stock headwork done and you will be happier unless going bigger cam and comp.

[blackjackcustms]

Stock castings have bigger chambers than SEs. They need a stack of milling to get decent performance compression ( and/or pistons) whith the SEs if you choose not to get good pistons (which I would recommend the forged HC pistons, anyway) you could get somewhat good comp with way less milling, which saves you from having an ill fitting manifold, gives you more room to unadjust your p-rods (during service work), and keeps your valvetrain geometry closer to stock. I dont see the downside.

Many ported heads only match the SEs. To eclipse them requires some mad skills. I have dynoed back to back, SEs vs famous porters heads, and the diff was minimal. HD used to sell a kit that would make 90 hp with SEs (out of the box) an SE57 cam, and 10.5-1 SE pistons. I saw it work, and it does.