Thread: bad valve seats = new heads?

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I have a set of 350 heads (333882) that i was getting gasket matched, the shop guy called me a told me that the seats are getting pounded out. I saw it and they are bad, so he said that a new set of heads would be the best way to go. He also said that they are crack prone???

So he sells a set of aluminum heads with 64cc chamber, 170cc intake runner, 2.02 intake and 1.6 exhaust for $850 with springs and valves is it a good deal?

If not what heads are the best buy for the money, i guess i want to stay under $1000.

O and which is better aluminum or cast iron???

THANKS

Who manufactured the heads? Were they cast in this country or offshore? Is there flow data to support performance claims? Are there even any performance claims? Who will warranty them if they crack? What's the deck thickness? Who made the valves and springs? What material are they made from? Who else has run these heads? Can you talk to anybody who has?

If these questions can't be answered to your satisfaction, I would suggest shopping for a set of heads from a well-known manufacturer who has a track record of success and who you know will stand behind the product. There is a bunch of stuff being made in China right now that is junk. That is not to say that it will always be that way or that what you are being offered is junk. I remember when I was a kid, anything from Japan was junk. Now, 50 years later, Japanese-made goods are superior to many other sources. (Toyota will pass General Motors sometime this year to become the number one car maker on the planet).

Just to help educate you, you could get into a set of Air Flow Research aluminum heads for around $1,400. I would consider them to be the best heads available for a small block Chevy. Heck, you can get into a set of Edelbrocks for under $1,000. My point is, why invest $850 into a set of unknown heads and then maybe have to do it all over again down the road when spending a little more initially will have it over and done with and give you some braggin' rights as well as the finest set of heads available.

Cheap is not always cheap.

Bad valve seats can be repaired, but those heads are not worth repairing.