VAC stage 3 head

[backwoodsE30]

ok the decision has been made to do a VAC motorsports stage 3 head. What else needs to be done as far as engine management? or can i simply dump it on there and take off?

[nando]

you're going to want to be able to tune it. megasquirt, VEMS, Miller WAR chip, countless standalone systems, etc. etc. There's a ton of options.

[backwoodsE30]

is that something i can do myself? a plug and play thing?

[Wh33lhop]

Tuning is for pussies. Just slap a $30 ebay chip on it and be done with it.

[digger]

ok the decision has been made to do a VAC motorsports stage 3 head. What else needs to be done as far as engine management? or can i simply dump it on there and take off?

did they give you flow numbers?

[backwoodsE30]

no numbers. im getting it new second hand. i havent seen the paper work that comes with it

[backwoodsE30]

E-mailed VAC for some info

[z31maniac]

Here's what I would do.

I would call VAC and ask for their input. Is the head coming with cams, got the specs on the cams?

Their STG 3 head is a full out race, IIRC, I wouldn't use it on a street engine.

[briansjacobs]

The easiest that I know of is the Miller War chip, but I will tell you not to consider tuning yourself without a dyno, or at minimum a wide band 02 sensor.

The miller chip works well for tuning up to 7000. If you can get brody on the phone support is good, if you get Miller on the phone...hang up, he is a dick!

[hotballs]

The easiest that I know of is the Miller War chip, but I will tell you not to consider tuning yourself without a dyno, or at minimum a wide band 02 sensor.

The miller chip works well for tuning up to 7000. If you can get brody on the phone support is good, if you get Miller on the phone...hang up, he is a dick!

+1 Brody, answered every single question I had no problem. And just out of curiosity how much did the head run you?

[nando]

Here's what I would do.

I would call VAC and ask for their input. Is the head coming with cams, got the specs on the cams?

Their STG 3 head is a full out race, IIRC, I wouldn't use it on a street engine.

eh, that really depends on what cam you have, which really depends on a lot of other things. Unless it has parts that are going to wear out super fast, running it on a street engine should be fine.

[backwoodsE30]

Wow that alot of input.I e-mailed VAC to see what they say. i think it has a schrick 284/272 in it i THINK! like i said i got it second hand new.not in my hands yet

[nando]

schrick 284/272 is very streetable

[z31maniac]

eh, that really depends on what cam you have, which really depends on a lot of other things. Unless it has parts that are going to wear out super fast, running it on a street engine should be fine.

That was based on my email conversations with them regarding STG 2 vs STG 3 head for the M42. I was seriously considering building a bad boy bored/stroked M42 for the 318 before I sold it.

I don't think it was any less streetable parts such as solid lifters or anything like that, but more along the lines of not getting the most out of the STG 3 vs the STG 2 without BIG cams and standalone engine management.

[nando]

well there's not really a lot you can do to an M20 head, aside from a super wild cam, that's going to make it un-streetable - all the good modifications are going to make it flow better at all lifts and use lighter, stronger components. It's not like you're hogging out the ports or something.

I'd like to know exactly what the difference between stage 2 and 3 is though. I can't imagine anything ground breaking. Billet rockers? titanium parts? yawn..

also figure a worked m42 head is going to be a *lot* more peaky than any worked 6 cylinder. There are probably 10x as many cam grinds available for the M20 as well, which will have way more effect on the engine's powerband than the head.