Racing Cylinder Heads & Components

Engine performance depends on many variables, and the characteristics of a cylinder head are some of the most important ones. Topping the combustion chamber, the head is responsible for guiding air flow into the cylinders and letting the exhaust fumes out. Also, it serves as a mounting base for valves, camshafts, spark plugs, fuel injectors (in a direct-injected engine), intake manifolds, and other parts. Apart from that, there is a network of channels filled with cooling liquid, which form the water jacket and are located in the engine block and head. Thus, everything matters: the size and configuration of intake and exhaust ports, diameter and strength of valve seats, bend radius before the valves, thermal stability in crucial areas, and so on.

At the design stage, all these parameters are set according to expected working conditions. When it comes to racing, the flow of air has to be sufficient to provide maximum power. Even if you install the finest air intake system, most capable fuel injectors or carburetor, and a large-diameter throttle assembly, they will not help you achieve a dramatic improvement unless the valves let enough air into the cylinders. Thus, performance cylinder heads usually feature a greater ability to fill and empty out the cylinders. Another crucially important thing in racing is efficient motor operation in a wide range of RPM, especially when they are close to the redline. The torque curve greatly depends on the characteristics of the valvetrain, camshafts' configuration, the presence of such systems as VVT (or VCT) and Valvetronic, and other factors related to a cylinder head.

Given the high complexity and precision of all these systems, it's hardly possible to get the finest result just modifying the factory head. There is a high risk of damaging a water jacket, affecting tolerances, or making some heavily stressed areas thinner and weaker than they have to be. Most cylinder heads suitable for racing are made of lightweight aluminum and feature various technical solutions allowing them to work at high RPM, under high and prolonged loads, with a nitrous system or turbo kit, and so on. In our online store, you will find a wide range of racing cylinder heads and their components.