440 source heads

[451Mopar]

Been awhile since I bought Edelbrock parts, but Have been burned by Holley with their lax quality control.
I won't install a Holley carb out of the box anymore. I will tear it apart and check that it is clean and all the holes cleared of debris before installing them.
Same with oil pumps. take them apart and clean them before installing them.
Seems many companies just cut back on quality control, and I guess it has given me trust issues ;)
Company I trust, Glen Ray radiator, but seems they are going out of business. Trusted my old machine shop. I still verified clearances and such and they always checked out right in spec. Sadly they retired and closed shop.
Might be interesting to list how much confidence you have in different companies?

 

[PRHeads]

The thing with assembled heads is, not everyone who buys them has the tools and skill necessary to properly disassemble and evaluate them.
If it’s not within your budget(or is logistically not feasible) to have a competent shop give them a once over…….. then you might be one of the people who bolts them on ootb.
Which I’m sure is actually pretty common.

 

[Some Car Guy]

I’m sure if I took a pair of heads to 10 machine shops, all of them will say they need worked after the first machine shop worked on them.

That’s why I’ve always stuck with Chuck Millen, Dewayne Porter, Todd Marsh, etc etc. I don’t walk around with worries like that.

Only legit Mopar guys for me.

 

[Some Car Guy]

Been awhile since I bought Edelbrock parts, but Have been burned by Holley with their lax quality control.
I won't install a Holley carb out of the box anymore. I will tear it apart and check that it is clean and all the holes cleared of debris before installing them.
Same with oil pumps. take them apart and clean them before installing them.
Seems many companies just cut back on quality control, and I guess it has given me trust issues ;)
Company I trust, Glen Ray radiator, but seems they are going out of business. Trusted my old machine shop. I still verified clearances and such and they always checked out right in spec. Sadly they retired and closed shop.
Might be interesting to list how much confidence you have in different companies?

Glen Ray has sold out and is training a new guy. Time will tell, but we have hope for now!

 

[copper67sat]

I bought a set of Stealth heads for my 383 earlier this year and had the machine shop check them and do a valve job while they had my other parts. They reported that they had to blend the chambers to valve job as the seats were never installed correctly. Not sure how far off they actually were but I can see evidence of the blending and it doesn't look extensive to my untrained eye. Even with the machine work, they were still cheaper than a pair of Trick Flows and IMO money well spent vs doing a bunch of work on the old iron heads. I'm anxious to finish the build and see how it runs.

 

[PRHeads]

Of course………. If you don’t inspect them, you’re hoping the heads you bought don’t have seats like this:

(That one was particularly “nice”)

 

[ckessel]

I was thinking Stealths for the wagon's new engine. Looked at the E-Street Eddy's, same price. Think I'm going for USA.

 

[RebelRider]

I

I was thinking Stealths for the wagon's new engine. Looked at the E-Street Eddy's, same price. Think I'm going for USA.

I see they get some bad feedback on the summit site. Any idea why? Im sure the stealth ones do also, but they dont allow reviews on the 440source site. Im still a little bent out of shape they want $120 to ground ship the stealths.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

That’s why I’ve always stuck with Chuck Millen, Dewayne Porter, Todd Marsh, etc etc. I don’t walk around with worries like that.

Only legit Mopar guys for me.

My point is, you didn’t catch it, all machine shops will be different.

 

[68-500]

I think a good practice would be to buy cylinder heads from a machine shop that goes through them before they send them out. If your spending a thousand or 2 on heads. I think a few more hundred isn’t a big deal.

 

[RemCharger]

Of course………. If you don’t inspect them, you’re hoping the heads you bought don’t have seats like this:

(That one was particularly “nice”)

View attachment 1959994

The producer/ suppliers are going , " meh, 95% of the consumers are putting 200mi/yr max or zero, those will work. Which they would.

 

[Some Car Guy]

My point is, you didn’t catch it, all machine shops will be different.

Oh I caught it, you never have realized what I was saying about how you don’t know what you have unless they are checked and you most likely can’t fix them yourself at home. Requiring a send off. Or you just run them and don’t know unless things are really really bad. Maybe your ten second car is running 11s. And so on.

When you stick to good shops you avoid what you are talking about. You might be lucky to have one of the good ones in your neck of the woods. More than likely to have a mopar guy like I gave examples of you don’t. That was the point there. I’m not a guy that gets concerned about such things as I just call one of them and start with good stuff and no guessing or hopium needed.

You pays yous moneys and yous takes your choice.

 

[ckessel]

I

I see they get some bad feedback on the summit site. Any idea why? Im sure the stealth ones do also, but they dont allow reviews on the 440source site. Im still a little bent out of shape they want $120 to ground ship the stealths.

No idea.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Oh I caught it, you never have realized what I was saying about how you don’t know what you have unless they are checked and you most likely can’t fix them yourself at home.

I get what you’re saying, I’m not too worried about good quality heads being bad. If they are, I will send them back to Trick Flow.

Maybe your ten second car is running 11s. And so on.

I’d be lucky if my car made around the block. lol