just wanna know the difference is, as im trying to find a tickford head, but atm only finding ones without cam and rocker gear, which im guessing is the main difference?

thanks in advance

the cam, valve springs and exhaust valve sizes are different I believe. Rocker assembly same.
Getting a cylinder head specialist to machine bigger valves into the standard head, port it & put a bigger cam in with aftermarket valve springs would yield a better result in my opinion. The only problem is then getting bigger valves. Could work out costly.

Best off finding a complete unit if thats what you're after.

You can't get new tickford size exhaust valves for the old heads any more. They are only available with the 7mm stem to suit the hybrid and AU heads. It would be costly to have new guides fitted to an older head to suit the 7mm stems.


The best option by far If you can't get a tickford head is to buy an AU2 or AU3 head. Already has 7mm stem valves and 41mm exhaust valves in ALL heads.
AU1 has a ridge in the chamber that need to be removed that adds extra labour charge to porting work.

slightly off topic, just out of curiosity is this ridge similar to the swirl ridge in the ea 3.9 heads???

In the same place but about half the size. I might have a picture somewhere.

Found it. Keep in mind this head had the seats cut for a 49mm intake valve and cutting tool had remove a fair amount of the ridge.
The second photo is an AU head with out the ridge

It always amazes me how many things changed between AU1 and 2

This shot shows how much it sticks up.

thanks for that info brad, interesting how they used the ridge in the 3.9, removed it in the 4.0l e series, then tried it again smaller in the au then removed it in s2 and 3 au..

I'm not after huge mOds, just someThIng a bit better than stock.

What was actually different in an AU Tickford head?

When I bought a brand new EF XR6 Head many years ago for my ED, apart from the different rocker cover sill and larger exhaust seats, the one outstanding difference between the EF XR6 head and my std ED head was that the port walls in the EFXR6 head had no built up "bosses" for the guides. A few months ago when I did the std head on my EF Gli it did have the built up "bosses" for the guides.

I have often wondered tho if I was simply sold an AU head - the "Tickford" part number was hand engraved on the front...

Anyhoo, when I replaced my std ED Head with that "EF XR6" head I noticed NO CHANGE in performance - whereas when I recently did port and chamber work to my standard EF Gli head (with guide bosses in the ports) I got really good and noticeable results - especially in response and low end torque. The sound of the exhaust also changed fairly drastically after I did the head work which surprised me a lot - I was quite concerned I'd stuffed something but it's going too dam ned good for anything to be wrong.

It now goes at least as well as our son's AUIII XR6 (definitely better than the XR6 in bottom end) - and that's still with the factory 2.25 press bent exhaust!! He's commented that he wants his XR6 exhaust done to sound like my Gli - to which I've had to explain that it's the cam and headwork that's making the Gli sound the way it does - not the exhaust system.

how much did the head work and cam set you back?

The cam I bought about 10 years ago off JMM - it wasn't an off the shelf item but cost the same - ie. about $400 - which IS awful expensive for a regrind. I think their current price is about $350 or $380. I'd actually recommend going with a Wade cam - they're about $150 for a regrind I think?

I did all of the head work myself.

thanks, with the cams, do they require a chip or retune? or can i get one without? also, would i see a bigger difference with an au2 or au3 head over the xr6 one?

I agree but wade cams are up around $170 now. And thats for fordmods members. Make sure you mention that or it will cost even more.