Brodix cylinder heads for the Duramax

[Trippin]

Just got back from a week at SEMA.
When I first heard about the Edelbrock head a couple of years ago, I wondered which way they would go. Edelbrock has some good street stuff and some good race stuff. In the case of the Dmax head they had on display, they chose a good street head.

That being said, and without spending some time on the band saw to see what it looks like inside, I think the head has some potential. They added a bunch of material to the valve spring area of the the head which gives us room to move the ports up.

The comment about 20% more flow means it doesn't even flow as good as our Stage 1 head, so it will need some porting to increase flow. 40% more coolant flow makes me wonder where they removed structure to increase coolant flow.

And now for the bad:
The casting that was on display was pretty bad. There was evidence of broken intake port cores and porosity through out the top of the casting. This is quite common when using new foundry tooling, and these bugs usually get worked out before production starts, so hopefully it is not indicative of a production casting and just an oversight on whoever grabbed this casting for the show.

However, when displaying a new product, wouldn't you expect they would display the best they have to offer?

 

[COMP461]

Just got back from a week at SEMA.
When I first heard about the Edelbrock head a couple of years ago, I wondered which way they would go. Edelbrock has some good street stuff and some good race stuff. In the case of the Dmax head they had on display, they chose a good street head.

That being said, and without spending some time on the band saw to see what it looks like inside, I think the head has some potential. They added a bunch of material to the valve spring area of the the head which gives us room to move the ports up.

The comment about 20% more flow means it doesn't even flow as good as our Stage 1 head, so it will need some porting to increase flow. 40% more coolant flow makes me wonder where they removed structure to increase coolant flow.

And now for the bad:
The casting that was on display was pretty bad. There was evidence of broken intake port cores and porosity through out the top of the casting. This is quite common when using new foundry tooling, and these bugs usually get worked out before production starts, so hopefully it is not indicative of a production casting and just an oversight on whoever grabbed this casting for the show.

However, when displaying a new product, wouldn't you expect they would display the best they have to offer?

The head was a pre production Proof head for head porters to start working on ports.

The fact that it's only 20% better airflow was the marketing plan I sold Edelbrock on. The plan for as cast heads is for stock replacement heads. I predict that 95% of these heads will be for stock replacement applications. They need to sell 5000 sets to even break even on the permanent mold process. With a projected retailed price of much less then a GM head ( heard $1250 a set) then these will sell.

Now to the port, Chris designed the dogleg port to allow CNC porting in 100% of the port. two ports designed were done , one an all out 400+ cfm port and the as cast port , both fit in the same casting . This is the way to design a performance head. There is room for a huge port but the as cast is not too big .

The water flow was to address the thermal needs in high hp applications. That was the problem with the Brodix heads , not the material, not the casting process , but the fact they were almost a complete knock off of a stock head with a little bigger port area, but zero attention to water flow and surface adhesion of water to the heat transfer surfaces.

Water flow is critical around the exhaust seat area. NASCAR head designers have spent a lot of time addressing this issue, and still run 50 to 75 psi block pressure to keep water on the back side of the exhaust port, chamber and exhaust seats.

There are more versions of this head coming over the next few years. Edelbrock moves slow , but they move right. I see a race head, and the BBC head with provision for LBZ injectors. I have two chunks of 6061 billet at Frankenstein that we were playing with for the BBC diesel , I guess Ill back away from now


I'll have a pre production set of these heads in the next few weeks for Chris Franks to do his magic on.

 

[WolfLMM]

When you say a BBC head, are you referring to keeping exhaust ports the same as BBC for marine applications?

 

[COMP461]

the Edelbrock BBC heads were o be 4.840 BS BBC so you can use good performance iron and aluminum Chevy block. This is not for extreme high hp application but a Marine diesel to BBC replacement. A 500 hp Duramax vs. a a 500 hp 502 BBC would use 35 % of the fuel at cruse and 60% fuel at rated power.

Greg at ZZ has adapters for Duramax to BBC water turbo manifolds already done.

The 6061 billet BBC heads that I was working on, would be a 477 inch race motor 4.500 bore and 3.75 stroke with a head that would flow 500+ CFM . This head was on a 4.840 BS as well but more in the extreme performance application.

 

[B1 596]

what would a built motor, street performance truck gain from a heavily ported set of these heads ? Imagine that, a Duramax part from a name brand manufacturer that dosent cost 3 times as much :thumb:...Whats gonna happen when a major rod manufacturer puts out an H beam rod for $1100

 

[COMP461]

what would a built motor, street performance truck gain from a heavily ported set of these heads ? Imagine that, a Duramax part from a name brand manufacturer that dosent cost 3 times as much :thumb:...Whats gonna happen when a major rod manufacturer puts out an H beam rod for $1100

the advantage to air flow is the ability to make hp, and keep retained heat down. Sure you can make big power with stock heads and cam, but the boost , and drive pressure makes for heat that make a motor like this short lived. double the air flow of a diesel allows lower boost at the same power level, and corresponding lower turbine inlet ( drive Pressure ) this means less heat/

To the people that say to big of a port reduced throttle response, remember there is no throttle on diesels . Velocity in the port is not a consequence in diesels, this only come in to play when you are needing signal in carburetor ventures. I have heard at the booth were saying $1250 a set target price for bare casting. I think that is a little to cheap, but the Permanent molding process makes the ability to spit out casting in large numbers .

Its a win win for the diesel community .

 

[COMP461]

what would a built motor, street performance truck gain from a heavily ported set of these heads ? Imagine that, a Duramax part from a name brand manufacturer that dosent cost 3 times as much :thumb:...Whats gonna happen when a major rod manufacturer puts out an H beam rod for $1100

The rods I use are $125 each GRP

here is what the look like these are the earlier Fowler rods , tied to a piston we burned on the dyno.

 

[Fandango]

The head that edelbrock had on display sure looked like it was 3D printed.

I don't think one could really take a lot away from it, other than they have one. And that they're working on it.

 

[COMP461]

those heads are preproduction sand casting and will undergo a lot of minor changes before the permanent mold process . wether they should have shown pre productions, I think its to let people know they are serious . with the target Retail of the production heads at $1250 a set. this will be a bargan. I am asking that the air flow be upped to 75% over stock, in as cast form. this will still run on a stone stock truck. I know that the head is designed to have room for a port that flows a honest 400 cfm in CNC form.

 

[RickDLance]

Has anyone told Eldebrock that you pimping their head may give it a bad reputation before they ever get to production?

 

[IdahoRob]

I am asking that the air flow be upped to 75% over stock, in as cast form. this will still run on a stone stock truck. I

I can ask you to run a 4 minute mile, but guess what, your body cannot. It's the same thing with these, you will not get that kind of flow increase as there is only so much room for ports, water jackets, and valves. Please explain where the room is going to come for 75% more flow as well as your claimed improved water flow in this size casting?

I saw many people pick up Edelbrock stickers at the show, doesn't make them experts in head design.

 

[Stingpuller]

Yellow Bullet run you off so now your back

I'm pretty sure Guy Tripp has forgotten more about heads than you will ever know.

 

[Mike L.]

Has anyone told Eldebrock that you pimping their head may give it a bad reputation before they ever get to production?

ROFLMAO:roflmao::thumb:

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Yuuuuuuuuuup

 

[TROJAN366]

I kinda like Greg. His never say die attitude and overall sticktuitiveness is lost on this generation. His level of oral diarrhea is honestly impressive. Who cares if he is 100% ignorant to facts, he sticks by his guns!

 

[Mike L.]

I kinda like Greg. His never say die attitude and overall sticktuitiveness is lost on this generation. His level of oral diarrhea is honestly impressive. Who cares if he is 100% ignorant to facts, he sticks by his guns!

Sounds like obama.

 

[TROJAN366]

Sounds like obama.

Love that guy. Obama 16!

 

[COMP461]

I can ask you to run a 4 minute mile, but guess what, your body cannot. It's the same thing with these, you will not get that kind of flow increase as there is only so much room for ports, water jackets, and valves. Please explain where the room is going to come for 75% more flow as well as your claimed improved water flow in this size casting?

I saw many people pick up Edelbrock stickers at the show, doesn't make them experts in head design.

There is plenty geography within the duramax head to have 400 cfm . The water flow is acheaved by fixing the water jacket to move more. over the hot spots. The stock head was designed for stock power.

As to what I know , and who I enfluance . There is and entire world out that that could care less what a few biased people think on a forum.

I do know that my persistence over the last 3 years made this head happen. Chris Franks is one of the premier air flow designers in the country, and what comes off his CNC will be the best avalable.

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Don't hurt yourself patting your back that hard.Man did i pick a good time to check in lol.I believe McRats message in my signature was for you a couple years ago .....guess ill keep in there.:thumb:

 

[IdahoRob]

There is plenty geography within the duramax head to have 400 cfm . The water flow is acheaved by fixing the water jacket to move more. over the hot spots. The stock head was designed for stock power.

.

I'm the first to say I don't know much about head design. So please explain how they will increase water flow by 40% and airflow by 75% in this size casting and have the structure to support boost and drive pressure.

Dumb it down for me please. Just saying it can be done doesn't explain your how they will achieve this.