I am trying to buy a jcw head off a fellow member and just had some questions about the head.
I've done all the research I can and the best I found was side by side photos comparing the jcw vs the S head on the exhaust side which was knoticebly larger but what are the exact measurements of each on the exhaust side ? Also what issues with it should i be looking exactly ?
depending on condition of my head n cam could I swap its guts into the bare jcw to make it complete ?
I'm guessing I will have to save then n pay to have the head checked then and decked , again , opinions ??
the guy gave me a price I am comfortable paying but whats your guys opinions on a price of a used , take off head. Im guessing he will be giving it to me bare but whats pricing on bare and complete , im just curios. I don't mind paying his asking price as its not like it a simple to remove item.

 

One big problem to watchout for...

The header. This includes many aftermarket headers.
The flange opening dimensions, are for the...stock...head. NOT the JCW head. As you know the JCW exhaust ports are larger than the stock or the stock "S" head's port openings, so the header flange port/opening should be at LEAST as large, if not a little larger to help slow reversion (exhaust backflow).

So, all that said, make SURE that you verify that your header flange openings are at least as large as the ports in the cylinder head you will be using. Also, larger is a good thing.

Mike

 

I was wondering if aftermarkets came larger to accommodate both but you answered my question . I wonder if porting my aftermarket header to fit could be done but that will be the least of my worries honestly..
I sure hope I end up with it ! It would be great to overhaul it over winter and the rest of the season save up for rebuild parts.

 

The R53 JCW head is the same as a regular S
head with just the exhaust side slightly ported.
If your current head is ok, having
both sides ported and polished, with or
without a mild street cam swapped in,
would perform much better.

 

You would be better off buying my RMW stage 1 when I upgrade later next year. I am also going to sell my vastly superior RMW street header before the snow flies if you want it. 700. I will drive to marshfield to meet you.

 

Oooooo.....

 

if the deal falls through I will do that ! I will for sure keep you in mind...

 

oooo is right he is local to me so OOOOOOO if your the one selling the JCW OOOO who cares. OOOOOOOO ROLL EYES OOOOOOO what a ****. Adam I am going to go with the Stage 2 RMW head. Dont waste your time installing anything other than a RMW head. I will likely sell mine for a good price. Pm me if you want the header and I will let you know on the head. Going with the larger Turbo cam as well so will have a CAtcam 469 with the head. OOOOooooOOOoooooo

 

Dude unless the head is like 500 bucks its a complete waste of time. Its legit not worth the time to swap out. ITs not worth buying unless you can get it for a song. Might as well do the job once do it right get it tuned properly once. Stop buying factory rubbish like JCW heads and JCW injectors. You will not be happy in the long run. Especially if you go for a ride in mine. Grab my head some 550cc bosch injectors the cat cam 469 I'll help you tune it make legit 250ish whp not some sissy jcw 210 maybe from a janked used head that with crappy 1mm raised roofs on the exhaust side. You could legit open yours up for free if thats all your going for.

 

No need to be offended....
​​​​​​​I've heard many people say sell the JCW, and get a built head. Kinda tempting seeing the price of used heads floating about.

 

WEll when the roll eyes comes out what is someone supposed to infer? The jcw head is worth about 500 bucks. Its not worth your time to deal with the work for what you gain. Its weak sauce and you will be over it in about 5 miles. Like I did this work and paid for this head for this? You would legit get a better gain going from 15-17% pulley where it shifts the boost lower into the curve.

I would sell my under 5k RMW head and Catcam 469 for 2k

 

I do got 550s in already , 17% and all supporting mods really....and i would be coming in around 450$ on the jcw head which imo is a decent price...i may or may not have it worked over more .. i know the rebuild parts will add up fast as id do new timing chain and all and arp studs ect..it won't be cutting corners...but dang , like I said if jcw head falls through im game on that stage1 head for sure , possibly the whole head n cam too so long as no un expected disasters arrive. Lol GIVE US ANOTHER CHECK TRUMP !!!! LOL

 

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having a JCW head? If your gonna have it worked, why not spend the money on your current head.
I have struggled with this decision myself. I would love to save money on a built head and use mine. There is probably a "Purist" who would appreciate it more. That being said. Do what you want, it's your car. Just my 2¢

 

what I mean worked over is have it tested , new valves and decked if needed.. UNLESS it all comes with it and its it great condition, I will know more as the seller keeps me posted as he gets to it. I figure longer he waits the less it dents my pocket.
I understand I cooooould port a stock s head but Id rather not put all the time in it, mess it up somehow or something and have wasted all the time on it,, getting it done and put on and all new parts around it to find out i did a crap port jobive only ever ported 1 set of heads on a 4.6l tbird i had,, actually came out well but i did cams and intake then too so who knows if the heads were even better than befor. Lol i just removed as much material as I could and port matched and cleaned up n smoothed out flows n curves.
I guess i should ask,, whats the difficult level of porting an s head ? Say, to jcw exhaust port size and then port tge intake and head to gasket match and smooth any turns down ect..

 

Considering it's just what most would call a "mild" exhaust side port. I would imagine it to be less difficult than porting a supercharger. I would personally send it to a reputable shop to have the porting done. If your trying to max out your gains that is.

 

H

Here let me help you show you the only difference on a jcw and s above with the red wires is a jcw head

And this right here is a s head , the only difference is the exhaust ports that’s it

 

And as to internals all the head internals are all the same cuz I’ve just finished building my motor the ONLY difference is the exhaust port holes that’s it

 

Amen to what others have said about the JCW head. Unless you can get it for a song, it's not really worth it, if you consider performance gained vs. dollars spent. If you're going to do all the labor of head removal, you might as well go all the way & put a big valve head on your motor; you'll be much happier. Put a bigger cam in there too while you're at it. Here is a thread where you can see for yourself what a true ported big valve head should look like.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ig-valves.html

What people say about matching the ports on the exhaust manifold to the head cannot be overstated. If you don't do that, you've virtually undone any good you did by opening up the exhaust ports. The header opening can be the same size or bigger than the exhaust port, but not the other way around.

Whatever you do, make sure you have the head pressure checked BEFORE you do any work on it. I've seen 3 cracked heads so far, all in the same place; from the head stud hole nearest the cam chain galley on the exhaust side, running down the galley at an angle toward the intake side.

 

The problem for me is I don't have the ability to be able to spend that much...trust me, if I could afford a big valve or fully ported head I would but I can only do what I can afford..i already rearranged a few bills to be able to cover the jcw head..500 is faaaaaar easier for me to come up with than 1000$. Plus ,even after IF I get the head I still have to get time chain , guides , studs gaskets ect and I wanna do it with for once good parts not budget ****. When it comes to head gaskets n stuff I won't chinse on that stuff.

 

Good on you for wanting to do the job right. The chain doesn't usually wear out, nor the guides, (unless someone ran crappy oil). The OEM head gasket manufacturer can be found for a reasonable price, if you look. I've also had good luck with Victor Rienz. I wouldn't use Fel-pro.

 

If money is that tight you shouldn't be buying stuff really.

 

My wife has a very secure job and so long as the govt doesn't keep playing with me, the little they'd give me i budget into my car so I don't make my wife pay for my hobby. Its hard to justify buying parts for my car when I could get something for my wife or children or pay off a bill. lol I'm more a giver kinda dude I guess n put my self last but I like to make sure everybody around me is good befor I splurge. And to me spending 1000-1500 on just my car is ALOT. To some ots chump change but to me its not. I don't live dollar to dollar but I dont even have more than triple digits in the bank most times,lol.. but the fams got all they need so at this time is OK for me to throw some at the car..

 

Good luck with your build

 

thank you..lol the build has begun when I 1st got the car but this will be the most extensive modification yet..

 

i just finished with mine, took like 4 months and a lot of parts lol a lot