440 Source Aluminum Heads

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I stare at them and occasionally caress the port openings.... Waiting for the rest of my stroker parts....
 
Yep! I have a set on my 470 stroker.
I changed the springs to what Comp Cam suggested, added 10 degree locks and retainers and used better valve seals.
Other than that they are just as they were out of the box and work great.
Get ya some!
 
I have them on my 383, bolted them on right out of the box, used their head bolt kit as well.. nice heads - have yet to fire the motor though

If i did it again, I'd save $200 more and buy the Chrysler Power aluminum heads, they have better springs, than the 440's, and look like Edelbrocks..
 
They are nice heads and work fine for a street/strip and some all out racing.
 
dad has the cnc ported version of them on his motor, if you intend to go with a solid cam change the springs!!! if you get 1.6 rockers the heads required a good bit of clearancing for the pushrods. and if you get a set of their rockers and have 1.55 diameter springs check retainer to rocker clearance, had to do some grinding there too!

for the positives they run great and 440 source had awesome customer service when a valve spring broke
 
I've used a couple sets of them the last 5 years. As mentioned, clearancing is a must with 3/8 pushrods.
So, I have a new set going on a 470 build- decided to CC the chambers- and guess what- they are not 80cc as advertised; but averaged at 89-90cc. Far cry from 80! So, took off 45 thousandths to get them down there.
I will say that Kim at 440S was willing to exchange them for new ones, but I had already done extensive porting :(
 
IQ52 said:
What is the real question?
Click to expand...

I guess I'll take a guess as to his question.


Are they good enough to support say 500 hp?

Are they problem prone?

And since they are about half the price of RPMs, are they a good bang for buck?

Would you hesitate at all to run them?
 
Latest Stealth heads to come through the shop still have a problem with scratches in the valve stems, caused by the assembly procedure, right around the lock groove. Sometimes you need to replace the valves and sometimes you don't. This time we didn't need to. The retainers aren't too bad but the locks SUCK. The castings are very good in my opinion and far more uniform than the Edelbrock RPM ones. This time the valve guide clearances were all good but we always do a better valve job on the heads and replace the locks and retainers with Comp Cams 741-16 retainers and 611-16 locks. Any aftermarket cylinder head must be surface milled to make the head to block surface flat, these are no exception.

Do not run these heads OOTB. There were aluminum shavings and small chips underneath the valves inside the ports. I've seen this in all cylinder heads, this isn't exclusive to Stealth heads.

Combustion chamber cc's were 82-83 with one end larger than the other. Milling them flat but cutting .005" more off the larger side got us to 80.7 to 81.4cc on all eight cylinders.

Valve spring pressures when we set the installed heights @ 1.88" were 136#-143# and @ .500" lift 307#-320#.

Airflows before and after the service preparation:

Lift...............OOTB IN/EX.....................Prepped IN/EX

.100..................69/55..............................73/61
.200................145/110...........................150/127
.300................210/150...........................212/170
.400................245/183...........................254/198
.500................265/207...........................283/222
.600................278/220...........................297/240
.700................283/229...........................295/250

Yep, OOTB these heads should get you 500 HP out of your 440 if you know what you are doing and 620 HP on a well prepared 440 with service prepped heads, valve springs and a roller cam.

Yep, they are worth the money.

Nope, no hesitation, I'd use them.

One more time, all out, these heads can get you 750 HP from a pump gas 451 stroker. I don't recommend buying these heads with that purpose in mind, but if you already own them they can do it.
 
IQ52 said:
Latest Stealth heads to come through the shop still have a problem with scratches in the valve stems, caused by the assembly procedure, right around the lock groove. Sometimes you need to replace the valves and sometimes you don't. This time we didn't need to. The retainers aren't too bad but the locks SUCK. The castings are very good in my opinion and far more uniform than the Edelbrock RPM ones. This time the valve guide clearances were all good but we always do a better valve job on the heads and replace the locks and retainers with Comp Cams 741-16 retainers and 611-16 locks. Any aftermarket cylinder head must be surface milled to make the head to block surface flat, these are no exception.

Do not run these heads OOTB. There were aluminum shavings and small chips underneath the valves inside the ports. I've seen this in all cylinder heads, this isn't exclusive to Stealth heads.

Combustion chamber cc's were 82-83 with one end larger than the other. Milling them flat but cutting .005" more off the larger side got us to 80.7 to 81.4cc on all eight cylinders.

Valve spring pressures when we set the installed heights @ 1.88" were 136#-143# and @ .500" lift 307#-320#.

Airflows before and after the service preparation:

Lift...............OOTB IN/EX.....................Prepped IN/EX

.100..................69/55..............................73/61
.200................145/110...........................150/127
.300................210/150...........................212/170
.400................245/183...........................254/198
.500................265/207...........................283/222
.600................278/220...........................297/240
.700................283/229...........................295/250

Yep, OOTB these heads should get you 500 HP out of your 440 if you know what you are doing and 620 HP on a well prepared 440 with service prepped heads, valve springs and a roller cam.

Yep, they are worth the money.

Nope, no hesitation, I'd use them.

One more time, all out, these heads can get you 750 HP from a pump gas 451 stroker. I don't recommend buying these heads with that purpose in mind, but if you already own them they can do it.
Click to expand...


So how much does it cost roughly to prep a set of these heads in a use-able manner without porting
 
Edelbrocks are $500 and the Stealths are $600 (Stealths require more valve work, retainers and locks). Guides are checked and honed if necessary, spring pocket depths are checked with head surface, performance valve job, valves set to the same depth, installed heights are set, all valve springs are tested, heads cc'd, ports are blended, heads are surface milled and flows are tested before and after. Everything is cleaned, lubed, assembled and bagged ready to install.
 
I'm 1 of 2 people I know to bolt these on, mine are OOTB, and my friends Dad had changed the springs for his cam, otherwise they as well are out of the box.. his car runs great.. mine is to be determined LOL
 
Consider yourselves 2 lucky people, you could just as well have a story of a failed lock and the mayhem that goes with it. Consider upgrading before you wish you did.
 
IQ52 said:
Edelbrocks are $500 and the Stealths are $600 (Stealths require more valve work, retainers and locks). Guides are checked and honed if necessary, spring pocket depths are checked with head surface, performance valve job, valves set to the same depth, installed heights are set, all valve springs are tested, heads cc'd, ports are blended, heads are surface milled and flows are tested before and after. Everything is cleaned, lubed, assembled and bagged ready to install.
Click to expand...

so basically, 1600 total for stealths vs 2400 for the RPMs....decisions decisions.
 
I hope they're good. I just ordered a air of the CNC ported Stealth heads yesterday. Upgraded the springs, retainers locks and oil seals as I'll be using a hydraulic roller. I just couldn't keep waiting for the Trick Flow heads.
 
fratzog lover said:
Consider yourselves 2 lucky people, you could just as well have a story of a failed lock and the mayhem that goes with it. Consider upgrading before you wish you did.
Click to expand...
I'm honestly more worried about the cam break in, as my block/rotating assembly is virgin from 1971 (original standard bore still)
 
I have them on a 512 Stroker in a 72 Satellite Sebring. No problems, no issues, all I did was double check the springs and valves. Also have there roller rockers and shafts!! Excellent part and great tech support. I got the heads(CNC ported & assembled, NIB) & there Roller Rockers, push rods, shafts and shims for $1000.
 
easymotorspo said:
I have them on a 512 Stroker in a 72 Satellite Sebring. No problems, no issues, all I did was double check the springs and valves. Also have there roller rockers and shafts!! Excellent part and great tech support.
Click to expand...

Dads motor has the source roller rockers too, with Hughes .626 260* cam with Hughes 405lb open pressure springs...what cam are you running
 
I am thinking of getting a set of bare stealth heads. Putting in my own valves, springs, locks, gasket matching, ect. Building a 496 ci. 383. for a 69 cuda 4spd.
 
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