Edelbrock Performer Heads B Block

[Warrenavenue]

I had those problems on my Edelbrock Victor heads. I haven't heard complaints on the Performer heads, but it is likely most people with performer heads don't run cams with > 0.700" lift?
I ended up milling the stands off and installing billet aluminum max wedge style rocker stands.

https://angeluccimfg.com/products/mopar-max-wedge-rocker-stands?variant=21697476801

looks like I might be on my own here, I’m gonna have to find a shop that can do this for me. Will this kit work on the performers? Is it true that if I tap deeper on pedestals 1,3, and 5 that my studs go into water jackets on the performers? Anybody recommend any shops in northern ca that can do this?

 

[451Mopar]

I have never had a set of regular performer heads, so I don't know?
Hughes should know, they deal with those all the time.

 

[Warrenavenue]

I have never had a set of regular performer heads, so I don't know?
Hughes should know, they deal with those all the time.

I’m sure they do but Dave has been terrible to deal with over this whole thing. He’s always been a jerk on the phone but I’m really disappointed in his customer service after all the money I’ve spent with them. I’ve spent over $18000 with them on this build and other projects over the past 6 or 7 years and he wanted $1200 to repair my stands After I shipped em back. This was after he told me it’d be in the neighborhood of $400 after shipping to have them both repaired when we initially spoke over the phone and I sent him pictures. He said he was quoting me a full job since he didn’t know their past...they built them 2 years ago! He dropped the price to $610 to fix the stands but still blamed me for the cracks. I asked him about the shims possibly being the cause after reading the posts here and he said the shims don’t cause this, and the that “half guys on the forums don’t even have cars!” I’m done with that. Tim and the rest of the guys have been great to work with and I’m sorry things ended the way they did over a lousy $150. I told him to pack them up and send them back. I’ll have to find somebody out here that can fix them.

 

[Bigtime]

Hey Guys, first time posting here, but I’m hoping maybe someone can help me out a little. I have a 496 Stroker that I built about 3 years ago with the help of the guys at Hughes engines. It’s built from a 383 and topped with a set of Edelbrock Performers. The motor has been a great runner, very powerful, and hasn’t had any troubles, but this weekend I decided to pop the valve covers and adjust my valves. I popped the left cover and immediately noticed a vertical crack in the rocker shaft pedestal closest to the alternator. I had a friend watch it while I turned the motor over and the crack would spread apart and gush oil as the rockers on cylinder 2 rocked. I ended up pulling the rocker shaft son both sides and found cracks on 3 of the pedestals on the left bank and 2 of the pedestals on the right bank. The cracks are not in the pedestals that contain oil galleries (2nd and 4th pedestals). When I pulled the rocker shaft studs I also noticed helicoils inside the cracked pedestals. Is that normal? I’m trying to get ahold of Edelbrock to see about warranty or repair but their tech department is swamped right now. I’ve also reached out to Hughes and they’ve offered to repair these ones but shipping to them will kill me. Anyone have any insights here? I dumped a ton into this build and this is not a welcome surprise.

 

[Bigtime]

I am really sorry to hear about that. Scary. I was considering purchasing their heads myself. So, a stupid question now because this Ole Geezer just doesn't know. Can you pull the heads [ugh!] and have the cracks welded? Since they are out of warranty do you think that Edelbrock will STILL stand behind their product? After all, they manufactured them. For me, they would have to be sonic checked or something...chances are the problem will repeat. Finally, if you buy another set of heads, what brand would you buy? BTW, ANYONE HERE can respond to my questions. Again, sorry for your luck and hoping they can be repaired.

 

[Warrenavenue]

I am really sorry to hear about that. Scary. I was considering purchasing their heads myself. So, a stupid question now because this Ole Geezer just doesn't know. Can you pull the heads [ugh!] and have the cracks welded? Since they are out of warranty do you think that Edelbrock will STILL stand behind their product? After all, they manufactured them. For me, they would have to be sonic checked or something...chances are the problem will repeat. Finally, if you buy another set of heads, what brand would you buy? BTW, ANYONE HERE can respond to my questions. Again, sorry for your luck and hoping they can be repaired.

Well edelbrock was awesome and very helpful, I can’t say enough about the guys at Edelbrock Customer Support. Dave was the guy that helped me for the most part. That said, I am almost certain that the issue was NOT Edelbrock’s fault. After talking to builders across the country about the setup I had, all fingers pointed at Hughes Engines and the rocker shaft shim theories they have. Nobody could understand why they would “solve” rocker shaft issues with those shims. Makes perfect sense in hindsight that the shims cause stress fracturing, but at the time I trusted what Hughes told me. However, when I brought it up that their shims were to blame the wheels came right off the wagon and Dave Hughes ruined any chance of my return business. Dave was always rude anyways and I looked past it, but this was their fault and he wouldn’t admit that the shims they sell for lifting the rocker shaft caused the issue. In the end the heads got welded up and have been going strong since. Shims are long gone and the pedestals were recut and aligned for 7/8 shaft, things are good for now.