Before we go into all the features of this new cylinder head, we want to cover crucial information before you order and before you use this cylinder head.
Important! - The valve seats are designed around our new standard length 31mm Intake and 25mm Exhaust Valves. You must cut new seat angles to run a 32mm intake or 27mm exhaust.
Using standard-length valves, the install height is approximately .825 for 26 lbs of seat pressure without 272 valve springs. The maximum recommended lift is .310; going beyond this limit may result in coil bind or interference. Check with your cam manufacturer for recommended spring pressure for your camshaft and valve train combination to prevent valve float.
You will need to cut spring pockets to install dual valve springs, and we recommend using longer-length valves.
Our goal with the new Wildcat Cylinder Head is to make a larger valve head more accessible while improving areas for the experienced engine builder.
We had three primary customers in mind:
Bolt-on Budget Builders – These guys may have minimal skill, tooling, or budget and want a cylinder that will increase compression and airflow without breaking the bank. This big valve head costs nearly half our previous big valve non-ported head and much less than the competition.
Stock Appearing – When it comes to cast-heads, the performance variations are not suited(EVO), not legal/don’t fit stock carburetors and intakes(DTV Shredder), or require machining or higher cost(Gage Warhead). On the other hand, the range of standard cast heads has performance limitations due to the design or the aftermarket support. The Wildcat WC946 is made to address the cost or performance limitations while still qualifying as a “stock” head.
Engine and Cylinder Head Builders – Engine and Cylinder Head Builders like to have options for their customers when billet heads may not be in the budget or not allowed for a specific class. Other cast performance heads like the Evo or Gage Warhead are finished as cast or machined finish. The starting cost of these heads is much higher and more expensive to modify. We wanted to give the head a better starting point and reduce labor as much as possible so builders could be more competitive in performance and pricing.
The Wildcat WC946 is a highly versatile cylinder head for the small block clone market.
Features of the Wildcat WC946 Cylinder Head
1. Bigger Valves - As mentioned, the head has a larger intake seat, and it is ready for our standard length Stainless Steel 31mm intake valve and 25mm exhaust. The valve guides are for 5mm valves to reduce weight and friction.
2. 18cc Combustion Chamber – We wanted a combustion chamber that would raise the compression on any stock engine. Many engines today are 223cc or larger, and with too small of a combustion chamber, the compression ratio would be too high for high-octane pump gas. The combustion chamber shape is more of a kidney bean shape and would need less decking to make the combustion chamber smaller for higher-performance builds running race fuel and methanol.
3. Spark Plug Hole – We moved the spark plug closer to the exhaust. We wanted our experienced builders to have room for larger valves in the 34-36mm range without having to move the spark plug themselves. It also keeps the plug closer to the center of the combustion chamber to improve combustion.
4. Larger Ports - The ports are made larger than most if not all, factory stock cylinder heads. Stock intakes have approximately .910” width and .920” vertical measurements for the inlet of the port. The WC946 has a 1.035” width and .990 vertical. The goal was to increase the cross-sectional area at the inlet for larger carburetors and reduce the time to port the inlet. We have increased the outer walls of the port throughout the cylinder head to increase the flow potential of the head.
5. Veins - One request we had was to have more of a vein for the valve guide. While this does increase the material in the port, thus reducing flow initially, We included it to allow cylinder head builders to experiment with the shape and direction of the port. We also have more short-side material to enable a better radius for the air to turn when ported.
6.More Porting Material - We have filled in between the walls to the rocker stud boss on the intake side in the valve area. You’ll also see that the outer walls of the port bowl area are more extensive, reducing the likelihood of breakthroughs with porting. We’ve been able to get 99cfm at .350 lift without breaking through the port, bowl area, or the oil hole and without welding to the inlet port or cylinder head. We expect those filling in the oil hole to be well over 100+cfm
7. Stock Valve Covers - The valve area depth is approximately 0.150 taller than standard non-hemi heads to provide more clearance under the valve cover for champion and roller rockers, which may allow the use of unmodified stock valve covers
8. Stronger Casting & Better Cooling - The fins are thicker, and more material is filled in between to make the head stronger and better dissipate heat.
