would you call this normal Stage V heads and manifold

Just got some of my stuff yesterday from FHO and not happy. Number one a bunch of stuff did not get shipped but today I was having a good look at the parts. Sorry for a few of the large pics.

The bottom of the manifold is sitting in place and there is 1/4" gap front and back. The heads! I think the pics speak for themselves.

I just took a look at my Stage V heads from FHO. They were purchased a few years ago. No small pockmarks like those. I did have some scuffing on some of the machined surfaces, but just superficial. What you have there almost looks like some porosity in the castings, not what one would expect from Banning. I think I would get in touch with him. He will probably tell you the pockmarks are no worry. As for the manifold fitment, I think there is some possibility that block has been milled? In any case contact FHO.

Block was machined by FHO
The last set of Stage V heads I got from FHO were nothing like these.

No way would I accept the castings, as said Porosity, it might OR might not spring leaks over time.

The last stage heads I got from Tim did not look like that. The heads don’t sit right on the block for sure. Try stock heads and intake for comparison.

I got a set of millennium heads like that once from modern that I sent back. They may be fine, or they may leak after running a while who knows. I do know this, I had a set of predator heads from before indy selling them that had that same amount of porosity. We ported them a fair amount. They sprang leaks in the intake 3 different times. Chasing them with the tig torch was aggravating, and I finally just ran stop leak. They're still being used by a buddy, so not really a problem. He runs stop leak and they're not leaking, but unless I was offered a discount for them being that way, I'd opt out. Different if it was a 1 off, be glad you have them type deal.


As far as the china wall gap, as long as ports and bolt holes line up I wouldn't care about that at all. Cut a strip of aluminum to fill it, or fill it with ultra grey.

I just looked back at pics Tim sent me of my heads when they were completed and there is no pitting on those heads.

These heads will be going back.

as a machinist with 42+ years machining aluminum, those heads are junk.
there is WAY too much porosity, the sealing surface is terrible, and those little "boogers" [for lack of a better word] on the surface indicate that casting is gummy/soft.
my opinion, send it back. i would NOT accept it under any circumstances.

Just call him if you're not happy.
I'm sure the intakes come oversized so you can adjust for head gasket thickness

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the crack in the bolt hole in the first image. I can see a crack in another image as well. Those heads are made from beercans or something. J.Rob

I was curious how the ports were lining up, but I'm with everyone else and send the heads back. They maybe/possibly be OK, but if your luck is like mine, they would leak, the seats would fall out, and the guides would be bouncing between the valves and spring retainers. All in no particular order.

The heads are o-ringed so no gasket. Tim has replied to my email and has told me to send the heads back. He also stated that the gap is for a gasket, which is obvious but I thought 1/4" was pretty excessive.
I am in no way Bashing what so ever, just asking opinions of the product I received.

That end gap is typical (especially on Blown stuff) a 1/4" foam gasket is used. I also use a retainer. There are two types a "U" channel style and bolt on wall type. I prefer the Channel style.

where are those heads cast?

This is all very strange to me. Normally Stage V castings are so beautiful it's ridiculous. I don't know who casts his stuff but they are good. And to look so accurate I assume those are Chryslers old patterns.

If you where to mock up the heads and intake with the head gaskets the manifold would sit differently, possibly a little lower but not a bunch. The intake gaskets will raise the intake also so it my be a wash on the current gap, I keep all the cork end gaskets I don't use form stock hemi and M.W. gasket sets for this reason, silicone and the cork or foam end gasket should fill that gap up well

He said it has O-ring ports so the fit will be more like it is seen. The head gaskets will lessen the gap some on the china wall.

Well I finally got my new heads this morning and they are very nice compared to the last set I received.

Looks like a bad casting. Those need to go back. lol new ones look great

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Waiting has paid off it looks like to me

Is that an allusion that the first intake valve looks bigger than the rest.

No, it’s just an illusion.

The gap between the block and the intake will decrease when you install the head gaskets under the heads. That will spread the heads apart further and allow the intake to drop down. Although a wide gap is fairly common that I have seen on many hemis, that gasket is quite thick. I have in the past machined 3/16 spacers to tighten the gap.