is there a 'best' 24v head? and other valve train questions.

T

thundergunder

Getting it done
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
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im attacking my truck in stages and the next stage i want to tackle is the head. i drive my truck everyday so taking the head off and sending it out for weeks at a time is not a viable option. My goal is a 500-550 hp daily driver/tow rig. What i want to do now is find a used head off of a 24v to have worked and install on my truck so there is no down time for me other then the actual swap. My main question is from 98.5-02 is there any difference in heads? is there a casting run that is better then another? any difference in valve guides and what not? just looking for the best option. im not interested in a CR head simply because i dont what to have to deal with adapters for the tubes and reworking coolant passages.

My plans are to have a mild port and polish job new guides and a valve job. what i dont know is if i should do o-rings. right now my plans are to call fleece for a Garrett VNT that will support the power i want. so i guess if im pushing max boost at 50 or so psi (or more or less, dont really know what to expect) will i need orings or will studs be more then enough for maximum reliabality.

at the same time i plan to install HD push rods and springs. Should tappets be replaced at the same time? are stock ones reliable enough or should they be upgraded too? if i do replace them a billet cover will be installed as well.

i want a well breathing cool running engine so should i be looking at a cam at those power lvls too? or are my goals not worthy of a cam? i dont really want to be running 550hp all the time i can always turn the box down. i dont actually plan to tow at max power either but when i do i want to be able to keep EGTs at acceptable lvls when its set to kill. i know alot is in the turbo but i think that with a good flowing head will go a long long way. maybe not for making power but in efficienty

alright guys start the schooling! :charger:
 
The early 24v heads don't have pressed in valve seats. The later ones do. Both are good. You should have the head o-ringed. And put studs in while you are there. A good port job will do wonders for making power and running cool. You will benifit from a cam but i would do it later on. Make sure you have a machine shop check your head. Have them check it for cracks and anything else.

1 Clean it check for cracks.
2 Deck it and do a valve job.
3 Port and polish.
4 O-ring it.

Be prepared to spend some money on this. It can add up real quick!
 
HEY! someone finially answered! thanks man. so which is better to have, the pressed in seats or not? I know its gonna be expensive. im thinking around a $1500 machine shop bill if not more. its expensive to be an addict!
 
I would lean toward no seats (the only ones with seats are HO motors found in '01-'02 trucks with six speed tranny).
 
Diehard Ram said:
The early 24v heads don't have pressed in valve seats. The later ones do. Both are good. You should have the head o-ringed. And put studs in while you are there. A good port job will do wonders for making power and running cool. You will benifit from a cam but i would do it later on. Make sure you have a machine shop check your head. Have them check it for cracks and anything else.

1 Clean it check for cracks.
2 Deck it and do a valve job.
3 Port and polish.
4 O-ring it.

Be prepared to spend some money on this. It can add up real quick!
Click to expand...

I have an 02 without press in seats, so this statement is not accurate..
 
ok so a head without seats are better. so now im back to the begining though; cause one says these heads have them and one says they dont. I have an 02 HO motor. i just wish i could get a definitive answer on which run of casting numbers had them.

i can use my head, ill just have to borrow the 12v from my buddy for a while which i dont like to do cause i hate tieing up someone elses truck and putting miles on it.
 
Both heads will work fine. The press in valve seats are nice when you need a valve job. Because you can replace them if they are bad. Yes sometimes they will come out on there own, and junk a motor. But, most of the time you will not have a problem. I would look for the one with out the press in seats, if it was mine. I don't know what casting numbers they had , but just look at them without the valve in it. A quick look and you can tell if it has them or not.
 
ive been doing some more reading about the common rail heads and it seems that 06-07 heads are gonna flow 20% better then a vp44 head out of the box. so i might just go ahead and look for one of them anyway.
 
I just put an 06 head on my 02. The head gasket had developed a slight leak, mainly after towing. I had an 06 head, that I had already had o-ringed, so I decided to put it on. The truck seems to run really good, but I did other mods while I was doing the head, so I will never know how much of a benefit the head was. I also did some mild porting on the head.

If you do decide to do it, do a search on here. Someone (sorry don't remember who), did a good job of doing the write up.

Just a few things that will come up:
1. You will need either conversion cross tubes, or conversion injector lines.
2. One of the push rods will be a bi*** to get in. I notched the cowl a little (very little), to make it easier to get it in and out.
3. The IAT and Map sensor will have to be relocated. The Map sensor can be moved to the air horn, but the IAT should be installed in the intake plate after the grid heater or it will set a code when cold.
4. The head or head gasket should be modified to make one of the coolant passage match up better.
5. If you think you are ever going to p-pump the truck then I probably wouldn't do it. You would have to modifiy the head quite a bit to get a p-pump to fit.

Paul
 
i read ICSMOKEs thread. seems like his gasket blew too. i had seen a while ago someone else attempted this and happened to them too. wonder if this is a problem when swaping to CR heads...? i dont plan to P-Pump i like being able to turn it up and down when i want.
 
Yes ICSmoke blew his HG shortly after the swap. . .quite catastrophically I might add.
 
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