Thread: Anyone used "Peanut Ports" on your BBC?

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Hey All,

I just finished a mildly built 454 using rectangular port heads (990's) and have ran into problems with them. Brought them in for a checkup and valve guide replacement and found that corrosion had eaten clear through the OEM steel valve guide to the bronze bushings that had been installed sometime in the past (exhaust side valve which runs through the water jacket). My machinist says he can install new OEM guides but may have a problem getting them to seal. IF we clear that hurdle, he would need to re-machine the valve seats which he says are also beat to heck...He says with the corrosion, there is a possibility that he may run through the valve seat into the water jacket. If that happens, they (heads) are junk, and he will want all of his $$ for parts and labor thus far. If it worked, he would not warranty them. End result, he was kind enough to let me walk away with my heads and I am only out the cost of pressure testing. So, I did not come here to tell you a long story but I felt compelled to share. He says that this is the first time he has ever seen this happen to this degree of severity. Just my luck.

Instead of dumping a ton of money into them and risk failure and/or more heartache down the road, I am considering using a set of peanut ports (#14092360) that I have sitting on my shelf which are basically ready to go. I have some friends that are willing to buy the RP's from me "as is" so I could recoup some of the original purchase price (which will make my wife happy).

I have heard over and over that peanut port heads are "junk" but have never seen anyone back up that statement. I have actually found more factual data to support their use in a street rod when on a budget. Monster low end torque being the big seller.

My machinist also says that they perform well up to about 3500 and then the range people where people say they start to gasp for air (3500 to say 5200) is "not really noticeable". Above that, forget about it....SO, Given that my setup seems geared for low end...

9.4:1cr, .515/.530 216/219@.050, 1 7/8 headers into 2 1/4 exhaust, TH400, stock converter, 3.36:1 in the rear

...I am back on the fence trying to decide if I should go with it. Can anyone comment on their EXPERIENCE USING these heads? Please dont tell me that you heard they are junk (I've heard that too)...I am hoping someone (or more than a few) has done a build with these heads and can comment on the performance based off what they felt in the seat of their pants (reference to acceleration, nothing uh..weird). I believe GRUMPY427 (?) was in the process of doing a build like this but I never heard how it turned out.
Possible to run 12's with them in a 65 biscayne?

Dang! I need to learn how to get my thoughts out using less words...sorry!

Thanks for your time.

Found this on another website....this is what has piqued my curiosity again about using these heads...You be the judge.

Street combination:
Hiperf 454 4bolt block (std boring)
"Peanut" oval port heads (mild port work)
2.19/1.725 Manley raceflow valves + multiangle valve seats (30,45,60 deg.)
CompCams magnum rocker arms
stock 8.75 to 1 cast pistons
stock rods
stock cast crank
Edelbrock torker intake
552/555 230/236 @.050 (CompCams XE274H)
Holley 850DB carb
FlowTech 1-7/8 headers

Dyno result with 3-inch exhaust & pumpgas: 526ft/lbs@3500rpm, 468hp@5100rpm (over 500ft/lbs torque from 2800rpm to 4800 rpm!)

If you look at the HT502 "high torque" crate engine in the GM performance parts catalog, I believe that engine uses the peanut port style heads. It makes 340 hp with 550 torque coming from my memory. It used a VERY small hydraulic roller cam with I believe around 202 dur. @ .050.

Thanks Elko, I just went and checked it out...hadn't heard of that one before. I wish they had a dyno sheet to display with it. They keep talking about towing, why do they never mention anything about putting a torque producing motor like that in a car with "highway" gears ??

Hoping someone on this forum has tried it before...

Originally Posted by 65cayne

Hey All,

I just finished a mildly built 454 using rectangular port heads (990's) and have ran into problems with them. Brought them in for a checkup and valve guide replacement and found that corrosion had eaten clear through the OEM steel valve guide to the bronze bushings that had been installed sometime in the past (exhaust side valve which runs through the water jacket). My machinist says he can install new OEM guides but may have a problem getting them to seal. IF we clear that hurdle, he would need to re-machine the valve seats which he says are also beat to heck...He says with the corrosion, there is a possibility that he may run through the valve seat into the water jacket. If that happens, they (heads) are junk, and he will want all of his $$ for parts and labor thus far. If it worked, he would not warranty them. End result, he was kind enough to let me walk away with my heads and I am only out the cost of pressure testing. So, I did not come here to tell you a long story but I felt compelled to share. He says that this is the first time he has ever seen this happen to this degree of severity. Just my luck.

Instead of dumping a ton of money into them and risk failure and/or more heartache down the road, I am considering using a set of peanut ports (#14092360) that I have sitting on my shelf which are basically ready to go. I have some friends that are willing to buy the RP's from me "as is" so I could recoup some of the original purchase price (which will make my wife happy).

I have heard over and over that peanut port heads are "junk" but have never seen anyone back up that statement. I have actually found more factual data to support their use in a street rod when on a budget. Monster low end torque being the big seller.

My machinist also says that they perform well up to about 3500 and then the range people where people say they start to gasp for air (3500 to say 5200) is "not really noticeable". Above that, forget about it....SO, Given that my setup seems geared for low end...

9.4:1cr, .515/.530 216/219@.050, 1 7/8 headers into 2 1/4 exhaust, TH400, stock converter, 3.36:1 in the rear

...I am back on the fence trying to decide if I should go with it. Can anyone comment on their EXPERIENCE USING these heads? Please dont tell me that you heard they are junk (I've heard that too)...I am hoping someone (or more than a few) has done a build with these heads and can comment on the performance based off what they felt in the seat of their pants (reference to acceleration, nothing uh..weird). I believe GRUMPY427 (?) was in the process of doing a build like this but I never heard how it turned out.
Possible to run 12's with them in a 65 biscayne?

Dang! I need to learn how to get my thoughts out using less words...sorry!

Thanks for your time.

Why did you try and put the rec. ports on an engine that is done at making power at 5,000?

Erik,
Are you saying that the peanuts will be better than the rec. ports? I have been following this build, and the attention to detail far outweighs any mistakes that have been made. SH!T HAPPENS sometimes. When this thing is done, it is going to be done right. I am looking forward to reading the experience of others that have used a similar setup. Can one build a stout engine with his combo?

It sounds to me that the 360 heads will do fine on this engine. They work fine in lower to mid rpm situations, but they're definitely not a high rpm head. If you are building for low end and want to melt tires off, this will be your combo. I dont think I would even do things like bigger valves..this would again be a high performance modification, and you just wont see the benefits of the larger valves in street driving. The peanut ports have very small runners, just the opposite of the rect. ports he took off. The small runners increase air velocity, so at low speeds, they work very well....small runners=high speed airflow, but not much volume. So, at maybe 4K or 4.5K, they are flowing about all they are going to do. But below that, they will work as well as most other heads. The rect. port heads can move a huge volume of air, but at cruizing speeds, the air is flowing very slowly thru them, resulting in poor performance. These are better suited for higher rpm operation.

Originally Posted by 65ny

Erik,
Are you saying that the peanuts will be better than the rec. ports? I have been following this build, and the attention to detail far outweighs any mistakes that have been made. SH!T HAPPENS sometimes. When this thing is done, it is going to be done right. I am looking forward to reading the experience of others that have used a similar setup. Can one build a stout engine with his combo?

If it where my engine I would look for a set of 781's do a bowl blend a gasket match and call it good.

you would make good TQ with the peanut ports with a small cam and heavy car with a stock stall they would work ok BUT you may have to buy two set of rotator eliminators they used rotators on both intake and ex this would be done to use a better spring i do not think the stockers will take that lift. now if you cut them heads out for a2.19 intake and 188 ex and some bowl work they would work very good

Thanks for your input guys. I understand the theory behind the different size runners. I still havent heard someone say "Yeah, I ran a BBC with peanut heads and it performed like....."

Erik, long story on the heads. Basically, if GMPP can use them on a similar engine, then I dont see anything wrong with it. The short of it now is that I will either try and fix the RP's or go with the peanuts. Buyng a new set is out of the question unfortunately.

GRUMPY427...you reading this?? Was that you that did a mild 454 with the small port heads??


Any thoughts on that combo I found? HP seems a bit high but he claims he has a dyno sheet?

Originally Posted by 65cayne

Thanks for your input guys. I understand the theory behind the different size runners. I still havent heard someone say "Yeah, I ran a BBC with peanut heads and it performed like....."

Erik, long story on the heads. Basically, if GMPP can use them on a similar engine, then I dont see anything wrong with it. The short of it now is that I will either try and fix the RP's or go with the peanuts. Buyng a new set is out of the question unfortunately.

GRUMPY427...you reading this?? Was that you that did a mild 454 with the small port heads??


Any thoughts on that combo I found? HP seems a bit high but he claims he has a dyno sheet?

What is the similar engine that GM used those heads on?

have i used the peanut ports in a Hp build NO. i have work on boats that had them about the same cam you have they made 330 hp and did run good why i have not used any? it would take to much time to get more then 400hp out of them but would be a good head for TQ //////i think this said it all maybe not ??that is why somtimes i do not uderstand any one or maybe they do not understand me ??if you bulid your engine like the merc boat engine 330hp and gear it not to go past 4800 it will make good power with headders you may get 375/400 with a good intake .

Originally Posted by erik erikson

What is the similar engine that GM used those heads on?

454 HO TECH SPECS:
Part Number: 12568774
Engine type: Chevy big-block V-8
Displacement (cu in): 454
Bore x stroke (in): 4.25 x 4.00
Block (P/N 12561353): Cast iron with 4-bolt main caps
Crankshaft (P/N 14096983): Forged steel
Connecting rods (P/N 10198922): Forged steel
Pistons (P/N 10215228): Forged aluminum
Camshaft type (P/N 24502611): Hydraulic roller
Camshaft lift (in): .510 intake / .540 exhaust
Camshaft duration (@.050 in): 211'c1 intake / 230'c1 exhaust
Cylinder heads (P/N 12562920): Iron rectangular port; 118 cc chambers
Valve size (in): 2.19 intake / 1.88 exhaust
Compression ratio: 8.75:1
Rocker arms (P/N 12523976): Stamped steel
Rocker arm ratio: 1.7:1
Water pump (P/N 12484890): Cast iron, long-style
Flexplate (P/N 10185034): 14"
Recommended fuel: 92 octane
Ignition timing: 4'c1 BTDC
Maximum rpm: 5500

Maybe Im missing something here, but those heads on the GM engine are not similar to the peanut ports that you're talking about. Is that what you're trying to compare them to?

Originally Posted by 1JohnnyO

Maybe Im missing something here, but those heads on the GM engine are not similar to the peanut ports that you're talking about. Is that what you're trying to compare them to?

Nope, just gettin off topic.

I'm looking for people who've built and used street 454ci motors using the peanuts ports.