Heads
We are glad to offer many great low cost items, as well as the high end products, but will always give careful consideration to quality, functionality, and overall value. Below is a rundown on the hardware used in many of our assembled heads and the assembly process.
COMP CAMS Valve Springs
Most of our heads use Comp High Performance Dual Springs, made in the USA. Spring failures are near non-existent.
PBM Valves
Our PBM valves are high temp stainless steel.
PBM/Erson stainless steel race series valves, swirl finished one piece undercut, the same valve we have used for years. Our cost on these valves is nearly double the price of some low cost valves on the market. These are made from high grade non-magnetic stainless. We know for a fact that many head builders use the low cost valves. It is very rare we ever encounter a problem with our valves. We also offer the PBM Competition Series valves in our 68cc heads.
Below is a copy of one or more of our invoices from Engine Parts Warehouse showing a recent large order for our PBM valves. We have removed the price and our account number for privacy reasons. This is the best way we can prove to our customers that the valves we use in our cylinder heads are genuine PBM products.
Comp 10 degree machined valve locks.
We use only Comp Super 10 degree machined locks. Our head builder noticed the low grade locks on the market fit more loosely than he felt they should, not to mention the possibility that they were made of inferior metal. He envisioned the engine being much more prone to dropping a valve at high rpm. Using these locks, we have yet to have an engine drop a valve due to a valve lock failure.
Comp Cams retainers # 75740-16 and Comp Cams ID locators Part number: 4771-16
Our Comp Cams retainers # 75740-16 and Comp ID locators # VTH-4771-16 are made from 4130 chromoly steel. These retainers have a perfect fit with the Comp valve locks. We have used these on all of our engines for many years, and have had zero failures.
Assembly Procedure
We hone all of the bronze valve guides with a ball berry flex hone to establish not only perfect clearance, but also a semi cross hatch finish for oil retention. We finish off with a natural bristle brush. The heads are then placed in our parts washer and cleaned with high pressure hot water, then pressure dried. Before installing the valves, we apply a heavy coat of engine assembly lube to the valve stems. The coating on the valve stems is essential to protect the bronze guides from galling on initial startup.
Our next step is to set the spring pressure to a predetermined pressure using a spring height checking device, most suitable for street rod use. The springs we are using allow for a near perfect seat to nose ratio. Be warned that some sellers of aftermarket heads may not be checking the installed height when assembling the heads, and may not be setting them up to the correct pressures. We have a full scale machine shop with several very knowledgeable engine builders that know and fully understand how to properly assemble a set of heads. Combine the possibility of poor assembly methods with incorrect or low grade hardware, and it is easy to see how failures can result.
Rocker Arm Studs
If you have been a regular shopper with us, you will have noticed we do offer some knock-off products that are made off-shore. We do also sell many products made in the USA. We have always been very particular as to the quality and workmanship of such products, while considering the cost. We scrutinize our products very carefully and refuse to sell products that simply don't meet our standards. We have now eliminated another of the low cost knock-off products from our line. The low cost imported rocker arm studs have shown numerous problems unlike those in the past. We have looked at several others on the market, and still find many issues with them that are not acceptable.
Many of the studs had run-out in the shaft of up to an eighth of an inch. This caused major problems with rocker alignment, and depending where the position was when the stud tightened up, would determine the direction of the rocker misalignment. If the warped stud was facing toward or opposite the valve, then the roller tip would would not be centered to the valve tip. This would then create a loss of lift and cause increased wear on the valve tip.
If the warped stud tightened up in a side to side position, then this would allow the rocker tip to be cocked on the valve tip. This would then side load the valve tip with undue pressure, creating a serious wear problem on the side of the valve tip and create excessive wear on the valve guides in the heads. This also side loaded the rocker trunnion and front roller, creating an excessive wear issue in the roller rockers.
We also found a difference in the tread pitch and depth compared to the ARP studs. The rocker studs in an engine are under a tremendous upwards pull and improper thread design may cause the studs to pull out of the head. The ARP studs screw into the heads with a very precise fit and feel.
After thoroughly comparing the ARP studs and several off shore models, We are convinced that we will never offer the off shore studs again, regardless of the price difference. They were never as bad in the past as what we’re seeing now. This run-out was most likely caused by improper heat treating methods.
We have rejected many products that are outright junk and would cause serious issues in your engine only to see other sellers offering those same exact products. It's all about learning where to draw the line.
Studs and guide plates are NOT included. Other sellers may include these items but rest assured, they are usually not suitable for these heads. We use nothing but the Dart adjustable guide plates and ARP rocker studs when we build an engine using these heads, as they allow for perfect alignment of your rockers. See our other listings for a full selection of accessories.