Thread: 2.02 vs. 1.94

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Originally Posted by jimmyjeep

At what point in a mild chevy sb rebuild does the need for the 2.02 valve come into play. Is this a case of too big aint good?

I.M.O,If you are wanting to jump to a bigger valve size you might as well go to an aftermarket heads because of all the work that will go along with it.
In other words why put all that time, effort,money into old castings.If you do decide to use the old castings.I would say after 4,500 and about 300 hp I would look at the larger valves.
I really don't have a magic number but after 425 hp it becomes much easier with aftermarket heads.

All sound thinking, but still I'm just wondering if you had the basic 350 warm over, +.030 bore, .450 lift cam (oh hope I didnt stub my toe there), aftermarket intake and vanilla flavored 4bbl holley wth headers, and you had two pair of heads to work with, one with 1.94's and one set with 2.02's, would the mild build favor the smaller valves, or would you bolt on the 2.02's. I know there is a well established formula for carb size, but what about valve sizing? We talk alot about compression and chamber cc's here, but how about the valve sizing speech. If there is a good thread on this subject, I just havent found it yet, cuz I know you guys got it down cold. Pardon my ignorance, just trying to learn from those with the knows.