[kisertl]

I've read all the old post on KRE heads and want some up to date info, I've heard several people clame that KRE heads out of the box don't flow what they say and I've heard they do.
Who's the best vender to purchase them from and are they better then Edelbrocks?
My slow build is a 69 428 for my 65 GTO I'm restoring and I'm looking for the 3 G's, Look good, Run good and sound good, beating everyone on the road isn't my thing. So far I've got a Comp roller hydraulic cam and Lifters with 1.65 rocker, KB pistons .030 overbore, Tripower intake for the Look good part and Mallory Unilight dist. for run good. any up to date info out there.
thanks all

[Gach]

KRE Aluminum D port heads...out of the box..it depends on who you ask on
whether or not the flow their claimed numbers. I say it's a 50/50 chance they
will.

I'm looking for the 3 G's, Look good, Run good and sound good, beating everyone on the road isn't my thing

If that's all your looking for, I'd say don't worry about it. but if your looking for
a specific HP then that's a different story, that's when flow numbers become important. In that case your better off buying them from SD Performance, then
you'll get what you paid for.

[vin63]

Originally Posted by kisertl

I've read all the old post on KRE heads and want some up to date info, I've heard several people clame that KRE heads out of the box don't flow what they say and I've heard they do.
Who's the best vender to purchase them from and are they better then Edelbrocks?
My slow build is a 69 428 for my 65 GTO I'm restoring and I'm looking for the 3 G's, Look good, Run good and sound good, beating everyone on the road isn't my thing. So far I've got a Comp roller hydraulic cam and Lifters with 1.65 rocker, KB pistons .030 overbore, Tripower intake for the Look good part and Mallory Unilight dist. for run good. any up to date info out there.
thanks all

I got my 85cc set directly from Jeff. PM me your emaill address and I'll send you my dyno sheet of my 462 I recently finished.

[BVR421]

up to date? nothing has changed. they are what they are
If you are looking at the Dports, some of the fastest street Pontiacs use them

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Originally Posted by kisertl

I've read all the old post on KRE heads and want some up to date info, I've heard several people clame that KRE heads out of the box don't flow what they say and I've heard they do.
Who's the best vender to purchase them from and are they better then Edelbrocks?
My slow build is a 69 428 for my 65 GTO I'm restoring and I'm looking for the 3 G's, Look good, Run good and sound good, beating everyone on the road isn't my thing. So far I've got a Comp roller hydraulic cam and Lifters with 1.65 rocker, KB pistons .030 overbore, Tripower intake for the Look good part and Mallory Unilight dist. for run good. any up to date info out there.
thanks all

Vendor? depends on what your hp goals are.

The KRE D-ports don't have the HP capability (flow) of the E-head.

Your combo would be great with D-ports and less expense.
I would recommend SD Performance. Talk to them first as to the KRE D-port as they flow, sell and test more Pontiac heads then anyone.

[GAGuy]

I bought my KRE heads (unported) even after reading the reports about whether they flow their advertised numbers or not. I felt the actual numbers were not that important, because it seemed that everybody who was running them were very happy.

My only real decision was if I should get a stock set or a ported set. Based on Jeff Kauffman's recommendation I purchaced an unported set, and I purchased them directly from KRE. My car is heavy and I have mild gears and Jeff felt I would be happier with an unported set. He was right. I don't know how my car would run with the ported heads, but I couldn't be happier with how the car runs with the unported heads.

Nice thing about the KREs D-ports is they are a great street head, you don't need alot of timing, you can run lower octane gas and you still can make over 500HP with unported heads. Plus there seems to be more choices for exhaust manifolds/headers

So far I've got a Comp roller hydraulic cam and Lifters with 1.65 rocker

By the way, which Comp HR cam do you have.....I hope its not the XE276?

[Cliff R]

To date I've purchased and used several sets of them. We buy them not assembled, and finish the assembly here in our shop.

I like to take the additional time to clean up the bowls and align the ports nicely with the seats, gasket match, minor blending/smoothing, etc.

Done in this fashion, they will flow what KRE says, or very close to it. Flow numbers or not, we have no problems at all making great dyno numbers, backed up by track numbers with these heads in the "stock" configuration outlined above.

I will re-emphasize, we do NOT port them, just a very good clean-up of the runners, and a gasket match with a blending into the ports based on which gasket is being used, which in most cases has been the stock Felpro blue intake gasket(s).

We used a set couple of summers ago on a very "basic" 428 engine, Ross flat tops, stock stroke, 6.625" Oliver rods, iron intake, q-jet, etc. With a 236/242/110 HR custom cam from KRE, we cranked out 497hp at 5600rpms, and just under 540ft lbs torque around 4200rpm's. It made very similiar power as a 455 in the same state of tune, without a lot of additional rpm's to do it, on pump fuel.

All of the 455's we've set up with the "stock" KRE aluminum "D" ports, and pretty "small" cams, have made at or just over 500hp and right up near 600 ft lbs torque. The are, and always have been, excellent heads. Best part is, we do this with pump fuel, smooth idle qualities, and strong torque production over a very broad rpm range.

Total timing on every single engine that's left here ended up being exactly 30 degrees, showing they are very efficient heads......Cliff

[ta man]

I like pulling into a gas station and using 87 or 89 octane while other "highperformance cars" are searching for 94 octane and dumping in octane boosters.I also have ran 29 to 33 degrees at the track with 30/31 the fastest.This is with only with 8 or 9 degrees inital timing resulting in a 800 rpm idle.

[BIGBLUE]

I second the notion that stock un-ported KRE aluminum D-ports are Excellent for the street. I am running a set on a 461 with no different prep than my prior 6x heads (as Cliff recommended a good cleanup and valve job), and I can honestly say in every range possible, the heads make MUCH more torque. That equates to very high AVERGE HP, and in a street motor with a stock or close to stock converter and gears, that is what you want.

I originally mulled it over as to whether to port the heads or not, but since my cam, gears, and converter are all close to stock, I felt it would be counter productive to power production in the range my motor sees most (and for the longest duration of a run up the RPM band), that is from idle to 5K. I do actually shift the motor closer to 6K when I get a chance (and feel frisky), but most of the time I'm just gunning it from off idle or in the mid range, and shift just shy of 5K.

I feel when choosing heads for the street, you really have to analyze the way you drive, and be honest, above all ! If you are not involved in frequent street races ( You shouldn't be!) then you want power in the low to midrange most of all, with a good show upstairs.

Again, to each his own, but I think the un-ported KRE heads are nearly optimal for most street driven vehicles, particularly if you live in a city or some area with a fair amount of traffic.

[ponjohn]

Originally Posted by vin63

I got my 85cc set directly from Jeff. PM me your emaill address and I'll send you my dyno sheet of my 462 I recently finished.

Can you share the power numbers with the public?

Thx-john

[PLAY400]

I would buy them or the edelbrocks from SD. I assume they will take care of any manufacturing problems themselves and deal with the suppler afterwards.

Isn't it amazing how you can buy race parts but void the material defect warranty if raced or modified. Edel warranty sucks and I have no faith in KRE doing the right thing ever! Will hurt to know KRE will be making a buck off me when I get my heads from SD

[MandevilleBird]

I HIGHLY reccommend SD Perf. for your KRE's. Without going into detail, you'll get the personallized attention from SD that you will not get from Kaufmann.

[Steve C.]

".....you'll get the personallized attention from SD.."

And a man of good integrity.

[grandville455]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

".....you'll get the personallized attention from SD.."

And a man of good integrity.

X2!

[vin63]

Originally Posted by ponjohn

Can you share the power numbers with the public?

Thx-john

I posted it in my 462 build thread...