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Does anyone have an option on Pro Comp Aluminum heads for SBC. They would be installed on a rebuilt 350

 

[techinspector1]

Does anyone have an option on Pro Comp Aluminum heads for SBC. They would be installed on a rebuilt 350

You'll get all kinds of opinions on these heads. I've never used 'em, so don't have any direct experience, only what others tell me and what I read about them. Some fellows say they are fine, others say the castings are thin and weak or that the drilled holes are not in the proper place. Some say they are pure crap, others say they are ok. Some say that the problem is in the components that are used to fill the heads, valves, keepers, retainers, seals, rocker studs, guide plates and that if you buy the bare casting and have your machinist check them out, then buy good quality pieces to put in them, you'll be ok. My question would be, how much will you have to pay your machinist to check out all the dimensions and would that same money be better spent on a set of heads that will work "out of the box" like Brodix IK180/200?
http://www.jegs.com/i/Brodix/158/1021004/10002/-1

Personally, if I were bucks-down on a project, I'd search for a pair of used AFR heads.

 

[techinspector1]

Well one thing about the procomp is if they sell for 1000 or 1200 a set i would want them to be as good as the cheap edelbrock heads.

But if you look around and you can find them ready to go for 699 a set not each a bolt pn ready set. At that price i am very interested.

I see this guy on ebay sells heads for everything. He also sells a cheap alum head 210 cc 2.02 or 2.05 valves. He says they are prostar but i think that is the name of the procomp castings.

Here is his ebay link.
327 350 CHEVY ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS 2.02 ANGLED PLUG 210CC | eBay

Hope this helps. Havent gotten a set yet but they are in my future. Price is too good not to try to make them work.

Ummm, 700 bucks each seems cheap to you?

 

[xxllmm4]

Just don't expect them to be ready to go! I bought an assembled set a few years ago and they where so filled with metal chips and garbage they had to be completely disassembled and cleaned.

The problem with cheap heads is you may end up having to buy another set or pay to have them fixed. So in the end they may be MORE expensive. Personally I would try and find a set of good used heads.

 

[JeffB]

You may want to give these a look,and read the entire ad as they have been modified in their shop and have upgraded the parts.White Performance Detail Description

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

Does anyone have an option on Pro Comp Aluminum heads for SBC. They would be installed on a rebuilt 350

Their OK but are semi-obsolete in the chamber, the spark plug is not as aggressivly placed toward the center line as is found in OEM and many other domestic heads that take off from the ideas found in the Vortec line of thinking. Don't get me wrong they're not all that bad just not as up to current designs as they could be.

Frankly, I'd buy them bare, but machined, the reason is I can buy cheap valves myself so if I want an up-grade I don't pay for something that I'm not using. This, also, and especially, extends to springs and retainers. I match springs with the cam, you don't want springs that are too strong nor too weak for the cam used. Excessive and uneeded spring force wears parts unnecessarily and weak springs result in valve float, so you want to hit this pretty dead on rather than "sort of". Don't forget that aluminum heads must have a locating shim under the spring or the spring will chew a hole through the much softer aluminum. Buying them this way knocks about 200 bucks off the purchase price. You will, also, need stem/guide seals, soft Viton is the way to go here with a metal retainer for the guide. Springs, I prefer ovate, beehives on anything but the wildest of builds. I, also, like to plug the bottom of the guides before assembly, fill the guides with oil and let them sit for a few days before draining the excess out. The guides on these are a manganese bronze that will absorb some oil into the pores much better than assembly grease, since the stem seals will keep the guides pretty dry, this reduces wear, also use the assembly grease when you put the valves in because if you put the parts on the shelf for a while or have trouble getting the engine initially running the grease will provide additional lubricant when the engine isn't yet providing pressure oil.

Check this out:

White Performance Detail Description

Bogie

 

[techinspector1]

Uhh its for a set. 2 heads for 699 bolt on ready.

I guess I've been snookered in the past and I'm extremely cautious. Nowhere in the ad does it tell me that $699 will buy two heads. I wouldn't be interested in those particular heads at any price though, due to the angled plugs interference with headers.

Now, in the links by Jeff and Bogie, it says plainly that the auction is for two heads.

 

[Gus's 40]

I am running a set on a 383 I bought them bare had them machined with good valves and springs, they seem to work real well for the combo on a street driven hot rod. the only complaint I have is the top rail the valve cover sits on is too thick, I have a set of edelbrock valve covers and they wont sit all the way down on the gasket because the casting on the head is so wide.

 

[vinniekq2]

Ima little worried about buying discount aluminum heads. I would use dart cast iron.decent quality,,,, how much power are you making?

 

[1BAD78TA]

I guess I've been snookered in the past and I'm extremely cautious. Nowhere in the ad does it tell me that $699 will buy two heads. I wouldn't be interested in those particular heads at any price though, due to the angled plugs interference with headers.

Now, in the links by Jeff and Bogie, it says plainly that the auction is for two heads.

Look in the box under "Shop Hours" Toward the bottom, It says a pair of heads, Not that I would be interested in them.

Mark.

 

[JeffB]

I guess I've been snookered in the past and I'm extremely cautious. Nowhere in the ad does it tell me that $699 will buy two heads. I wouldn't be interested in those particular heads at any price though, due to the angled plugs interference with headers.

Now, in the links by Jeff and Bogie, it says plainly that the auction is for two heads.

So we have here a good comparison of budget heads: Eight Budget Small Block Chevy Heads Tested - Car Craft Magazine

 

[1Gary]

A good friend of mine advise us to never get involved as a contractor for a test for one of these magazine articles.He has a dyno in Ohio and lost his butt on the job because he had to wait for a useable set of heads to be sent to him so he could compete the test.(it took ten sets)Yeah that back story never made the article.Fudge factor.Another good friend is a huge distributor in the mid west.He bought a lot(which is 2000 sets of heads)from Patriot heads.At the first sales he was getting customer complaints on heads the where bad castings that leaked.He said what the hell is going on here and went back to check his inventory.He found 2/3's of it bad as well.He tried to get a refund and even offered to pay for the shipping.Well they totally stiffed him.Out of pocket he had to cover the remaining bad heads sales that was still out there.I will never buy Patriot heads.I am not a US flag waver.But a company who's name misrepresents it's self as American is a deal breaker for me when it is a off shore company.If you can't even trust their name,then what can you trust??.

My point is a primary question.Ask yourself when is it in the interest of any magazines like Car Craft,Hot Rod to give a bad review of one of it's advertisers??. Of course the answer is never.Then when is it going to tell any back story to a test,like poor parts.Yepper again never.

So those "tests" you really should take as a grain of salt with them being only entrainment value.