Moparts
440 Source Stealth Heads
Posted By: JoesMopar
440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 02:53 AM
Would these heads be good on a mild 383? I'm thinking KB flat tops, XE274 cam, stock rockers, Performer RPM intake and headers. Originally I was wanting to do a budget build, but I might want to get these if anything to use on another project at some point. I want to use the parts I listed to keep my budget in check. I just thought I was going to have to spend money to have the 906's rebuilt anyway so I might as well get something I can use somewhere else if I want.
Would anyone also know what my Compression Ratio would be? Not sure of the head gasket thickness yet, and as far as I know it will have a stock deck height (if anyone could recommend a measurement to mill the block would help). Thanks
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 03:58 AM
been considering a set myself & guys (on here) have opinionated that the best way to go is to have em CNC ported and to have the valve job/valves etc checked over well. The alum wicks off heat so you would need higher CR. Nothing real specific here but wanted to give you a btt bump
Posted By: dOoC
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 04:00 AM
Quote:
The alum wicks off heat so you would need higher CR.
....x 2 .. A LOT higher CR.
Posted By: HemiRick
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 05:32 AM
its general rule to build a motor w 1 point higher comp w alum heads.
Posted By: therocks
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 06:30 AM
On a mild build they should be good without porting.I have them on my 440 with 12.5 domes.I did change locks,springs and retainers because of the radical cam and solids with 4 speed.Mine have been worked some.No complaints after 3 years.Rocky
Posted By: ireland383
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 12:55 PM
They will be fine, but as said you need to up the compression. I'm using the KB400 .040 pistons .024 below the deck and running a Comp cams 275DEH 235/482, Holley 3310, 1 3/4 headers, 3:55 sure grip, and 2400 stall. My heads were cc'd at 86 and I had them milled .030 bringing them to 80. I'm at 9.9 to 1 compression. Camquest says 430 horsepower. I'm thinking more like 400.
You need to measure first the actual comp. now.
You could mill your block .020 and be .004 below the deck and use the .039 Felpro gasket.
Posted By: therocks
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 01:12 PM
Dont just bolt them on either.Have a good shop check them first.Its money well spent.Rocky
Posted By: moparts
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 03:27 PM
Quote:
Have a good shop check them first.Its money well spent.Rocky
Yes, My Stealth heads were excellent, good seats everything looked good BUT they were assembled dry as in no oil on the guides at all 
So if they had NOT been checked they would have been dry started the valve guides, either seized or excessive wear.
Un-ported out of the box Stealth / Edelbrock flow better than any stock or even mildly ported big block head
Posted By: 540challenger
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 03:35 PM
Doesn anyone have any dyno time on the cast verse ALum head HP loss.
There was a chevy write up on Cast iron VS ALum head "same casting but different metals" and the difference was little to none.
I think the big difference in HP loss with ALum is when running the All Alum. engines and only in the big HP range to have any major drop in HP
found the write up
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccr...no_results.html
Posted By: Pyper70
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 03:38 PM
Quote:
its general rule to build a motor w 1 point higher comp w alum heads.
So taking a 440 (10:1) with 906 heads, popping em off and putting on Eddy heads would lead to problems?
Posted By: 540challenger
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 03:46 PM
Quote:
Quote:
its general rule to build a motor w 1 point higher comp w alum heads.
So taking a 440 (10:1) with 906 heads, popping em off and putting on Eddy heads would lead to problems?
NO with Alum heads you can run a point higher and run on pump gas is the general rule. However every engine combo is different so i wouldn't even use that rule.
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 04:30 PM
Quote:
So taking a 440 (10:1) with 906 heads, popping em off and putting on Eddy heads would lead to problems?
Problems? No.
HP loss ... hard to say. If you were comparing two IDENTICAL castings where the only difference was cast iron vs aluminum then there might be a HP loss with the aluminum because of heat loss.
However, there is no aluminum head that is a plain ol' copy of an iron head. Even the base 440Source head flows better out of the box, has larger valves than stock and will provide higher compression with its closed 80cc chamber design.
There's no reason bolting on any aluminum head should cause any power loss unless the head is a clear mis-match to the application - like bolting a B1 head on a stock 440 !!
Posted By: MLR426
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 05:26 PM
Quote:
Would these heads be good on a mild 383? I'm thinking KB flat tops, XE274 cam, stock rockers, Performer RPM intake and headers. Originally I was wanting to do a budget build, but I might want to get these if anything to use on another project at some point. I want to use the parts I listed to keep my budget in check. I just thought I was going to have to spend money to have the 906's rebuilt anyway so I might as well get something I can use somewhere else if I want.
Would anyone also know what my Compression Ratio would be? Not sure of the head gasket thickness yet, and as far as I know it will have a stock deck height (if anyone could recommend a measurement to mill the block would help). Thanks
Only do a light clean up on the valve pockets, unshroud the valves a bit in chambers and do a gasket match on intake side. No reason to enlarge the port to big, will only work against you with the cam size. You need to change the locks, retainers, and springs to fit the more agressive lobe of the XE274 put springs in around 120 on the seat and remember to use Brad Penn 30 weight or equal oil for break in. Check retainer to guide top clearance with seals. Also advance the cam 4 degrees and make sure you have enough gear and convertor if automatic. Compression ? have your machine shop look at what pistons are available at what compression with the head cc. you will possibly have to mill the heads to get better compression ratio.
logan426
Posted By: Montclaire
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 05:38 PM
Quote:
However, there is no aluminum head that is a plain ol' copy of an iron head.
What were the old Stage IV heads? I never liked the Edelbrocks from an aesthetic sense. I thought that someone was producing a stock appearing aluminum head though? MP?
Posted By: WILD BILL
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/01/11 06:24 PM
The Stealth is the stock appearing alum head
Posted By: JoesMopar
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/02/11 02:18 AM
Thanks for the advice. I thought these heads were a bolt on and go? It sounds like alot of swapping parts that are already assembled on the head. I don't like the idea of swapping the locks, retainers and springs to fit in an XE274 cam which isn't much bigger than the stock one, it seems for $1000 these heads should be able to support that right out of the box. So far the vibe I get is these heads are junk.
Posted By: ireland383
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/02/11 02:51 AM
Quote:
Thanks for the advice. I thought these heads were a bolt on and go? It sounds like alot of swapping parts that are already assembled on the head. I don't like the idea of swapping the locks, retainers and springs to fit in an XE274 cam which isn't much bigger than the stock one, it seems for $1000 these heads should be able to support that right out of the box. So far the vibe I get is these heads are junk.
That cam isn't even over 500 lift IIRC. All the stuff on those heads will handle that cam easily. As with any aftermarket head you should have them checked. By the way my machinist checked mine over and was very impressed (changed nothing).
Posted By: cjs69mope
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/02/11 03:01 AM
Quote:
They will be fine, but as said you need to up the compression. I'm using the KB400 .040 pistons .024 below the deck and running a Comp cams 275DEH 235/482, Holley 3310, 1 3/4 headers, 3:55 sure grip, and 2400 stall. My heads were cc'd at 86 and I had them milled .030 bringing them to 80. I'm at 9.9 to 1 compression. Camquest says 430 horsepower. I'm thinking more like 400.
You need to measure first the actual comp. now.
You could mill your block .020 and be .004 below the deck and use the .039 Felpro gasket.
This is the exact combo i have in 68 charger i have .047 quench with .039 felpro , but i have the block decked and comp cams 275 HL cam and 2800-3000m ptc converter , runs kick ass w 750 hp vacumm secondary .
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/02/11 04:11 AM
The parts on those heads are certainly no worse than stock parts. With the cam you intend to use I'd go with the heads as they come but I'd have the valve job checked out for sure.
If your budget can handle it, have 440Source upgrade the retainers and locks and you'll never have a worry.
Posted By: JoesMopar
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 02:35 AM
This is a pretty ignorant question, but what do the locks and retainers have to do with the cam? I understand the springs completely, but how do you know what locks and retainers work on which cams?
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 04:44 AM
The retainers are determined by the springs ... the o.d.and i.d of the outer coil and the i.d. of the inner coil if there is one. The valves will determine the locks ... the valve stem size and how many lock grooves the stem has. You will have to decide between 7* or 10* retainers/locks up front ... I'd go with 7*.
I'm pretty sure all this infor is listed in the head specs on 440Source's site.
As for what they have to do with the cam ... nothing really but those items are the "weak link" on the 440Source heads. For about $85 you resolve the issue.
Posted By: MLR426
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 03:10 PM
Locks you say make no difference ??? I disagree totally. 7 degree locks on Steath heads are the cheap stamped steel rounded corner valve locks. If you stay with 7 degree retainers, buy 7 degree (machined) sharp corner locks so they fit deeper in the valve lock groove of the stem. Using stamped steel rounded corner locks bur the valve groove by riding up on the upper outside of the valve groove area. Which means it's trying to pull the valve stem through the valve locks. When you start putting more aggressive cam profiles against the standard Steath components changes must be made with springs, locks, and depending on application, retainers. The heads are fine the way they come for stock application cams, but why would you buy an aluminum performance head for stock cam application ?? So again components must be changed (Springs) to match the cam your using and it would be a good idea to change locks also. Check the spring rate of the springs on the steath heads against what the XE274 calls for.
logan426
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 03:27 PM
Quote:
Locks you say make no difference ???
Who said that ??? Where ???
What WAS said is that in this case the cam has nothing to do with the locks and retainers because its such a mild grind. Changing the locks and retainers is simply for peace of mind.
Quote:
why would you buy an aluminum performance head for stock cam application
Why not ?!?! Its a cheap upgrade with better flow, uses all stock parts and retains stock idle quality, etc.. The better the head the less cam you need.
Posted By: yellow sixpack
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 04:02 PM
I cant believe people still purchase parts from these guys.
Posted By: ireland383
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 04:05 PM
Quote:
I cant believe people still purchase parts from these guys.
Maybe you should practice what you preach in your signature!
Posted By: chrisf
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 04:12 PM
these heads are cheap for a reason. in the long run your not saving anything. trust me i know
i see anything negative against 440source gets wacked here now, i guess that advertising money makes negative opinions go away. thanks mods!
Posted By: yellow sixpack
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 05:04 PM
I do that why I would never by a bolt from them...You can send them your money Virginia guy and dont forget to tack on a bunch more for shipping both ways,,You will be needing to send parts back. Trust me..
Posted By: 451Mopar
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 05:18 PM
The stealth heads are fine for what your doing, and the springs/retainers will work with that cam.
I have a set of stealth heads for a 440 I am building, and I checked them out and they were good to go out of the box. I also know several people who are running them out of the box (un-modified) with no problems, but these are all mild hydraulic cammed engines, and the heads were bought for their stock appearance.
I think those that dislike the stealth head are those who think it should be race ready out of the box. Just because it is an aluminum head, does not mean it is a race head, although it should be good for 500+ HP.
I'm not sure what people expect when they buy the least expensive heads on the market?
Posted By: MLR426
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 05:24 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Locks you say make no difference ???
Who said that ??? Where ???
What WAS said is that in this case the cam has nothing to do with the locks and retainers because its such a mild grind. Changing the locks and retainers is simply for peace of mind.
Quote:
why would you buy an aluminum performance head for stock cam application
Why not ?!?! Its a cheap upgrade with better flow, uses all stock parts and retains stock idle quality, etc.. The better the head the less cam you need.
Cheap up grade with stock cam ?? The better the head the less cam you need ?? Where do did you learn this ??
Please explain your thought process. I will first.
1k is cheap compared to other choices of performance heads yes, but with a stock cam I could spend much less and improve my oe heads for stock cams that don't require a bunch of flow. The bigger isn't better with stock cams, you can do a better valve job, port match, unshroud valves, and clean valve pocket areas to improve the head for stock cams and not cost much to do. The better the head the less cam you need ?? Ok let's put a B1 head on a 76 440 ?? The point here is the bigger and better the head the less port flow speed you have which makes the engine a pig down low. With stock cams to much head flow will kill the performance. My point with changing the locks is most people who purchase Steath heads do cam up grades so they need to at least check the spring rates of the springs and also change to 7 degree machined locks for sure. The 2 sets of Steaths I've worked on had 130 lbs on the set which is the low lb end for a solid cam, and on the high end for a hydraulic cam, and had stamped steel locks, that's scary in my opinion. I'm just stating my opinion and you have yours that's fine.
logan426
Posted By: chrisf
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 08:38 PM
here is the pic that that one of the mods wacked last night. this is my stealth head with 500 miles on it. i bet there is lots more heads with the same problem but most guys have just bolted them on and forgot about them.
i guess buying a fake rolex from china and expecting it to be the same quality as a real one is a good comparison to these heads vs a eddie or indy. Chinese knock off vs quality. bottom line is its your money.
Posted By: MLR426
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 08:47 PM
Quote:
here is the pic that that one of the mods wacked last night. this is my stealth head with 500 miles on it. i bet there is lots more heads with the same problem but most guys have just bolted them on and forgot about them.
i guess buying a fake rolex from china and expecting it to be the same quality as a real one is a good comparison to these heads vs a eddie or indy. Chinese knock off vs quality. bottom line is its your money.
Not just those holes, look at where it has leached out into the porosity of the head and causing other damage, more holes to come at a later date.
logan426
Posted By: ireland383
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 09:38 PM
Quote:
Quote:
here is the pic that that one of the mods wacked last night. this is my stealth head with 500 miles on it. i bet there is lots more heads with the same problem but most guys have just bolted them on and forgot about them.
i guess buying a fake rolex from china and expecting it to be the same quality as a real one is a good comparison to these heads vs a eddie or indy. Chinese knock off vs quality. bottom line is its your money.
Not just those holes, look at where it has leached out into the porosity of the head and causing other damage, more holes to come at a later date.
logan426
That's funny I had mine off after 5,000 miles and they looked as good as they day they were shipped. This is with beating the snot out of them with many runs well over 100 mph. Whatever.
Posted By: Fury Fan
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 10:54 PM
Quote:
I think those that dislike the stealth head are those who think it should be race ready out of the box.
And I bet if you tracked those folks closely, eventually most of them would say there is no such thing as a bolt on part, that in the hi-performance world everything must be checked and verified no matter who you buy it from.
Posted By: mickm
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 11:24 PM
this 440 source bashing gets a little old. they sell a product. period. if it works for you, buy it. if it doesn't, don't.
no matter how good someone's customer service is, there will always be some sort of problem, some sort of quality control issue, some sort of something, that will leave someone disgruntled.
there are many, many people here who are happy with 440 source's product. if not, people on this board wouldn't be buying from them.
there are some people who are not happy with them, and we know that.
if someone starts a thread asking for positive/negative experiences with a company, that is the place to post. otherwise, to just throw in a negative comment in a post that is not asking that is meaningless, unless somehow it directly applies to the topic.
i'm sure there are people out there who are pissed off at Indy, Stage V, Keith Black, Ray Barton, and all the other popular names.
if someone asks for experience with a vendor, then post, but otherwise, what's the point?
Posted By: dOoC
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/03/11 11:39 PM
Quote:
Quote:
I think those that dislike the stealth head are those who think it should be race ready out of the box.
And I bet if you tracked those folks closely, eventually most of them would say there is no such thing as a bolt on part, that in the hi-performance world everything must be checked and verified no matter who you buy it from.
HAVETA' disagree here ! 
If you buy an ASSEMBLED bunch of parts .... it should be ready-to-use.
Posted By: FK5
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 12:06 AM
Quote:
this 440 source bashing gets a little old. they sell a product. period. if it works for you, buy it. if it doesn't, don't.
no matter how good someone's customer service is, there will always be some sort of problem, some sort of quality control issue, some sort of something, that will leave someone disgruntled.
there are many, many people here who are happy with 440 source's product. if not, people on this board wouldn't be buying from them.
there are some people who are not happy with them, and we know that.
if someone starts a thread asking for positive/negative experiences with a company, that is the place to post. otherwise, to just throw in a negative comment in a post that is not asking that is meaningless, unless somehow it directly applies to the topic.
i'm sure there are people out there who are pissed off at Indy, Stage V, Keith Black, Ray Barton, and all the other popular names.
if someone asks for experience with a vendor, then post, but otherwise, what's the point?
I disagree. I could see not wanting straight mindless bashing, but when a guy posts "would this be a good head to use" I would assume that quality and value are part of his question.
Posted By: mickm
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 12:53 AM
Quote:
I disagree. I could see not wanting straight mindless bashing, but when a guy posts "would this be a good head to use" I would assume that quality and value are part of his question.
yup, you're right, just get tired of all the 440 source bashing.
i had only been peeking in at this post and lost track of what the OP was asking.
never mind!
Posted By: JoesMopar
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 02:18 AM
Quote:
I disagree. I could see not wanting straight mindless bashing, but when a guy posts "would this be a good head to use" I would assume that quality and value are part of his question.
Yes, thank you.
Basically I was just wanting to know if these were a decent head for a mild 383 as I described. I appreciate everyone's input. I also thought in the back of my mind that I may use these down the road on a bigger build later on. I have a very good idea now of what I'm dealing with, because I've never dealt with this company before and I trust all of your input no matter who agrees on what.
What I'm narrowing it down to is if $1000 for a set of these heads is worth spending VS $500 or so to rework the old 906's. I'm leaning towards getting them, I just didn't understand the whole "swapping springs, locks and retainers" comments when I was only going with a slightly bigger cam. The reason being I have a set of Edelbrocks on a 440 with a 292/.509 cam, didn't change anything on the heads and haven't had a single problem with anything. I was asssuming these would be comparable to the Edelbrocks.
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 03:12 AM
Quote:
The better the head the less cam you need ?? Where do did you learn this ??
Please explain your thought process. I will first.
The bigger isn't better with stock cams, you can do a better valve job, blah, blah, blah ...
The better the head the less cam you need ?? Ok let's put a B1 head on a 76 440 ?? The point here is the bigger and better the head the less port flow speed you have which makes the engine a pig down low. With stock cams to much head flow will kill the performance.
I said BETTER not BIGGER! Two different things. The 'Source head is a BETTER head, flows better, higher CR, lighter, etc.. But one thing it is NOT is BIGGER - unlike your ridiculous example of putting a B1 head on a stock motor !!!
Posted By: therocks
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 01:05 PM
My machinist checked my Stealths.He thought the stock keepers looked thin.He miked them compared to what he uses and they were the same.He is a perfectionist and to look OK to him is tough.I upgraded because of my combo.If I had bought Eddys I still would have changed what I did.I still would of had him check them also.No matter if they are a 1000 a set or 3000 a set I would have them checked.They are assembled quick on a production line.The 200 I spent to have him check them and do the light work was cheap.He just cleaned up the ports a bit and back cut them to his satisfaction.That price also included 80 bucks for head gaskets.Rocky
Posted By: macmic87
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 01:34 PM
Quote:
My machinist checked my Stealths.He thought the stock keepers looked thin.He miked them compared to what he uses and they were the same.He is a perfectionist and to look OK to him is tough.I upgraded because of my combo.If I had bought Eddys I still would have changed what I did.I still would of had him check them also.No matter if they are a 1000 a set or 3000 a set I would have them checked.They are assembled quick on a production line.The 200 I spent to have him check them and do the light work was cheap.He just cleaned up the ports a bit and back cut them to his satisfaction.That price also included 80 bucks for head gaskets.Rocky
i have a set of stealths and had them checked out for piece of mind. machinist changed locks to a better material. honed the exhaust guides to proper clearance and lapped the valves. also check spring pressures and cc'd the combustion chamber and i am glad he did, they ended up being 88 cc. that is a little higher than the advertised amount but now i can make better calculations for my build. 
Posted By: MLR426
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 02:50 PM
Quote:
Quote:
The better the head the less cam you need ?? Where do did you learn this ??
Please explain your thought process. I will first.
The bigger isn't better with stock cams, you can do a better valve job, blah, blah, blah ...
The better the head the less cam you need ?? Ok let's put a B1 head on a 76 440 ?? The point here is the bigger and better the head the less port flow speed you have which makes the engine a pig down low. With stock cams to much head flow will kill the performance.
Boy, you just keep reading sh!t that just isn't there, don't you !!!
I said BETTER not BIGGER! Two different things. The 'Source head is a BETTER head, flows better, higher CR, lighter, etc.. But one thing it is NOT is BIGGER - unlike your ridiculous example of putting a B1 head on a stock motor !!!
What I'm simply saying is that it's not worth the added cost of the heads if your not going to take advantage of the added performance by putting a better camshaft,and adding compression to your engine to see the gains. Again you have to have a camshaft that can support the head your putting on the engine, if the cam is too small it cannot support a better flowing head and performance suffers.
It's not worth getting all worked up about..
logan426
Posted By: cjs69mope
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 03:18 PM
To answer the op's question i have the 440 source heads , i took them to my machinist and he also was very impressed with the look and feel of the heads .
I had him do a valve job because i know that his performace valve job produces more power than stock . This is on every head he has done for me the way he does the back cut on the valves and the angles he uses is actualy like a 5 angle type valve job so on the Dyno they flow better .
I also had him install viton valve seals correct the valve guides and set a new set of comp cams Bee hive springs with 10 deg locks only because my cam go,s over 500in lift .
He told me that I would be pushing the envalope if I did not change to ten deg locks because my cam is aggressive ramp rates and more lift then stock .
If your motor is completely stock and you want to run them i am sure you will be fine and enjoy them .
they have to be better than worn stock 906 heads with the normal 1/4 inch of valve guide wear .
Like the others have said for 50-60 dollars i would up grade to some
comp cams or crane cam locks and keepers or at least the keepers so i could sleep better knowing that when i drop[ the hammer on cruise night (to show off )that my motor does not blow up all over the street as i do my burn out to go home after the cruise nite show !
Posted By: Von
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 03:21 PM
Quote:
The Stealth is the stock appearing alum head
And the MP 452 aluminum head...
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 03:41 PM
Quote:
Quote:
The Stealth is the stock appearing alum head
And the MP 452 aluminum head...
No the MP head is an Ebrock head with a freeze plug on the end , still milled flat unless something has changed.
As far as the rest of the thread , there is some funny stuff in here , but not enough 
Posted By: therocks
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 04:57 PM
The big thing is put 500 to 600 ina set of old heads or buy new that are lighter and better flowing.If in a few years you want to upgrade the cam etc you have the heads there.I had over 1200 in my old 516s.Now they are on my kids 62 300.They were done when the cheapest aftermarket heads were like 2500 or more.Rocky
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 05:02 PM
FWIW I'm changing the retainers and locks that came on my Indy EZ1's - look to be about the same stamped stuff that come on the 'Source heads. However, I am running a decent size roller cam.
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 05:10 PM
In all the threads on the Stealth heads, I have never seen any one talk about how much the head expands with heat
I had a set of there roller rockers and set the valve lash on the tight side like you would on steel heads, ended up tearing the bock apart for 3 rockers destructed
we had to set them with a inch torque bar
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 05:18 PM
Quote:
In all the threads on the Stealth heads, I have never seen any one talk about how much the head expands with heat
I had a set of there roller rockers and set the valve lash on the tight side like you would on steel heads, ended up tearing the bock apart for 3 rockers destructed
we had to set them with a inch torque bar
That had nothing to do with the head expansion , more than one person has lost engines because of those rockers coming apart .
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 05:31 PM
Quote:
Quote:
In all the threads on the Stealth heads, I have never seen any one talk about how much the head expands with heat
I had a set of there roller rockers and set the valve lash on the tight side like you would on steel heads, ended up tearing the bock apart for 3 rockers destructed
we had to set them with a inch torque bar
That had nothing to do with the head expansion , more than one person has lost engines because of those rockers coming apart .
Maybe but.....
The expansion or the quality of the metal used in both or either the head or the rocker is suspect
plus I had imprfections in the casting too 
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 08:36 PM
Quote:
The expansion or the quality of the metal used in both or either the head or the rocker is suspect
In all fairness to the manufacturer, until you're done speculating and have solid evidence as to the cause maybe you shouldn't be pointing fingers. You said yourself you set them on the tight side, seems to me the problem was the guy at the end of the wrench!
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 11:07 PM
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The expansion or the quality of the metal used in both or either the head or the rocker is suspect
In all fairness to the manufacturer, until you're done speculating and have solid evidence as to the cause maybe you shouldn't be pointing fingers. You said yourself you set them on the tight side, seems to me the problem was the guy at the end of the wrench!
I have seen two sets of heads that have had quality control problems
These are not a quality product and people need to know more......
Posted By: Stanton
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/04/11 11:45 PM
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people need to know more......
Ok ... there was nothing wrong with my set.
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 12:35 AM
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people need to know more......
Ok ... there was nothing wrong with my set.
What would say about installing rocker gear and using a torque wrench and in an instant a chunk of metal comes loose from the head
Poor quality metal
By the way the mechanic is one of the mopar dealer top mechanic in this area
440 Source said too bad
Posted By: MoparDonny
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 12:45 AM
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Thanks for the advice. I thought these heads were a bolt on and go? It sounds like alot of swapping parts that are already assembled on the head. I don't like the idea of swapping the locks, retainers and springs to fit in an XE274 cam which isn't much bigger than the stock one, it seems for $1000 these heads should be able to support that right out of the box. So far the vibe I get is these heads are junk.
That cam isn't even over 500 lift IIRC. All the stuff on those heads will handle that cam easily. As with any aftermarket head you should have them checked. By the way my machinist checked mine over and was very impressed (changed nothing).
I took mine apart just to check stuff over. The seats have a bit of a ridge under them that should be ground a little, but untouched (other than the checkover) my XE284 3.91 geared 451 has run 11.74 at 115.6 with limited traction off the start.
Posted By: MoparDonny
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 12:55 AM
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people need to know more......
Ok ... there was nothing wrong with my set.
What would say about installing rocker gear and using a torque wrench and in an instant a chunk of metal comes loose from the head
Poor quality metal
By the way the mechanic is one of the mopar dealer top mechanic in this area
440 Source said too bad
What do you mean??? Did a pedestal break or something??
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 01:46 AM
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people need to know more......
Ok ... there was nothing wrong with my set.
What would say about installing rocker gear and using a torque wrench and in an instant a chunk of metal comes loose from the head
Poor quality metal
By the way the mechanic is one of the mopar dealer top mechanic in this area
440 Source said too bad
What do you mean??? Did a pedestal break or something??
Yes, the pedestal base seperated from the head
Posted By: MoparDonny
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 02:44 AM
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Yes, the pedestal base seperated from the head
Is it more likely that the rocker shaft was ovalled from previous use or the pedestal being machined wrong. I had a badly squashed set of shafts that I replaced when I put my motor together.
Posted By: Been There
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 02:48 AM
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Yes, the pedestal base seperated from the head
Is it more likely that the rocker shaft was ovalled from previous use or the pedestal being machined wrong. I had a badly squashed set of shafts that I replaced when I put my motor together.
This guys like everything new
Nothing else will do
When you buy these heads you have to remember where they are made.. faking the real thing is no substite for the real thing
Posted By: Chris2581
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/05/11 05:24 PM
I have a set on my 440.No problems.I did go with different springs,locks and retainers as I'm using a 296/557 Mopar cam.
And IMHO..you can buy 440 source stuff or not,but if you haven't bought then don't complain about their stuff either.
Posted By: moparts
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/06/11 02:47 PM
The China vs Everywhere Else part of this thread has been moved to the general forum,
This thread is about the Stealth Heads only.
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/06/11 03:04 PM
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The China vs Everywhere Else part of this thread has been moved to the general forum,
This thread is about the Stealth Heads only.
Posted By: Steve88
Re: 440 Source Stealth Heads - 02/07/11 01:50 AM
I am in the same boat trying to decide if I should invest the money upgrading my stockers or buy a set of aftermarket heads. I called and talked to 440 Source about thier Stealth heads on a 383 and they did advice me that the valves could interfere with the cylinder walls on a std. bore 383. They said if the motor was .030 over it should be no problem and if the motor was std. a very small amount of clearancing could be required. Doesn't seem like a big deal either way but I did want to throw it out there.