LE3 VS TFS 21 degree Heads

Just looking for some thoughts from some of the experts on what they think. The LE3 heads, vs out of the box TFS 21 185cc 21 degree heads. Ive read that the TFS heads can flow in the 275 range out of the box with the 2.02 valves, and the LE3 heads flow around 290 with 2.055 valves.

My build is a stock 95 vette bottom end, with new rings, bearings, ARP bolts in the rods, i have a LE cam that is 231/239 dur@.050 with .571/.585 lift with 1.6 rockers on a 110 LSA. my plan is to shift around 6500 or so, and this is in my 93 S10 with a T56.

I think the TFS heads will be down on power just a bit over the LE3 heads, but down the road i can still send them in and get them fully ported and be above and beyond the LE3 heads. My plan is to get this thing up and running on the rebuilt stock shortblock and then start gathering parts for a 383 or 396 build.


Thoughts, Comments?


Thanks

Whats the price dif?

Making you silky smooth...

Between those 2 I'd pick the LE3s all day long. I'd never run an out-of-the box head with no third party porting anyway.

Now if it was a set of AI or LE ported 21 TFS castings, that's a different story.

Well we all know the price of the LE3 heads from LE, about 1600 bucks, but there is a guy local to me selling a set he ran for about 500 miles for 1000, and i have found a a set of slightly used TFS heads, I can get them for 650, or for about 1000 with the TFS roller rockers and 7.200 TFS pushrods, may be able to get them slightly less just not sure.

According to the TFS website the 21 degree 185 gen x heads flow 260@.600 intake and 210@.600 on the exhaust out of the box, and the LE3 heads flow 280/195 with larger 2.055 valves vs 2.02 for the TFS heads.

They are very different heads...there is a lot more to it then just intake cfm @ .600.

The LE3s are much bigger, and the chambers can be opened up to feed a larger motor or one being boosted. The TFS 21 heads are very small, and are great for a stock cube build that wants to keep the compression up or a rebuild that uses larger valve relief pistons. On a stroker the 21*s are too small IMO and will choke it at high RPM so I would go with the LE3s. For a modest stock shortblock like your build, the 21* heads should make more low end and behave better on the street while keeping your compression up.

LE3's are a great value. However, you're maxed out, and the 21*'s can be made larger than even an LE3 with his work applied. From the sounds of it, if you buy the LE3's, you'll be selling them down the road for a 300+cfm LE 21* based on your stated goals.

Advantage of the TFS 21 degree heads will be chamber size and compression.

Take the TFS heads that flow 255/180 out of the box and port them to get them to flow 285/210 CFM.

Install 2.055 intake valves and a new valve job to get them in the 295/210 CFM range. This also opened the throat larger and can make a bigger in difference in HP than the 10 CFM difference.

You can mill them .020" and end up with a 52 cc chamber and have a KILLER set of heads for $2200 that will DEFINITELY out perform LE3 heads.

LE3 heads are limited by how large you can make certain areas in the head as well as once you install the larger valve seats to handle the 2.055 valves and unshroud the chamber for the 2.055 intake valve you end up with a 57-589 cc chamber.

I would either do LE2 heads or step up to the ported 21 degree LT1 heads ($2000-2200 depending on valve size).

Lloyd

Like puck said there alot more into heads other than flow numbers. The trickflows are good head to run out of box and then send to le when u decide to build th3 motor. I ran 7.2s with the trickflows out of box. Was running a le 234/238 cam. It was a 355 with full boltons and 3300lb race weight.