Anybody know about ProComp aluminum heads?
- Thread starter Dr Ron
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jtfairlane
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- Mar 5, 2006
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These are chinese made heads with a notorious history. Some people like them just fine, many others have had to take them to machine shops and spend additional hundreds of dollars just to make them usable. I would personally stay as far away from these heads as possible for two reasons. #1, no warranty, a lottery on the quality, and I get nauseous thinking about bolting Chinese made heads on my 5.0. #2 The difference in price between these and a set of good heads without any concerns over quality is not much. For a couple hundred dollars more, you can get a set of Edelbrock Performer 5.0 heads, or some really nice iron heads. Heck, for about $600 you can get a set of Thumper ported heads that will outflow many out of the box aftermarket heads. Not all, but many, and I personally feel the Thumpers would run circles around the Pro Comp's, and they would cost less.
jtfairlane
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- Mar 5, 2006
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One additional note on Pro Comp.
They are the gloriously tacky company that copies just about every other USA made manufacturers parts. Not quality wise, but in exact looks. Pro Comp makes cheap Chinese made distributors and Multiple Spark ignition boxes. MSD was successful recently in getting a court order to make Pro Comp stop manufacturing their blatant rip off of the 6AL box. Pro Comp also makes an exact look alike knock off of Flex-A-Lite's 5.0 electric fan. They damage companies like MSD, Edelbrock, and Flex-A-Lite by selling an inferior product that looks identical to products of companies that actually invested research and development costs into a good product, not just in stolen sales but when Pro Comp products go bad, the consumer who doesn't notice the brand difference will think "all the red ignition boxes" are junk. Think I'm wrong? Ask Flex-A-Lite how many tech calls they get from customers complaining about their Flex-A-Lite 185 fans that are defective only to have to waste the Flex-A-Lite tech's time when the Flex-A-Lite tech realizes and then has to explain that what the customer bought was a Pro Comp ripoff.
They are the gloriously tacky company that copies just about every other USA made manufacturers parts. Not quality wise, but in exact looks. Pro Comp makes cheap Chinese made distributors and Multiple Spark ignition boxes. MSD was successful recently in getting a court order to make Pro Comp stop manufacturing their blatant rip off of the 6AL box. Pro Comp also makes an exact look alike knock off of Flex-A-Lite's 5.0 electric fan. They damage companies like MSD, Edelbrock, and Flex-A-Lite by selling an inferior product that looks identical to products of companies that actually invested research and development costs into a good product, not just in stolen sales but when Pro Comp products go bad, the consumer who doesn't notice the brand difference will think "all the red ignition boxes" are junk. Think I'm wrong? Ask Flex-A-Lite how many tech calls they get from customers complaining about their Flex-A-Lite 185 fans that are defective only to have to waste the Flex-A-Lite tech's time when the Flex-A-Lite tech realizes and then has to explain that what the customer bought was a Pro Comp ripoff.
stangbear427
Active Member
Agreed, boycot the pirates. Of course, that could also be said about UPR, but at least they're grinding out ripoffs here in the USA...
thumper460
Founding Member
And then there are "pro Comp" heads made in Austrailia!! they are called the "SS"series.. they are better than the original Pro-comps" that went out of business.. and flooded the market with alumin heads! ask where they are from!! the Aussie heads rock!! flowing over 260 CFM out of the box!! 195 CC intake runners and killer mfg!! We have done a lot for the SBF's a little port work and they are bustin the 200 CC runners!! SOOOoooooo... just be ware of what you are buying!! and ask your self... HMMmmmm... out floe the Vic/s for half the cost... HMMmmmm......
Just me...........................
Thumper
Just me...........................
Thumper
I got the heads on my 347. Here is what I have found.
1. If you are going to buy the heads, get them assembled from a reputable supplier. The pushrod holes going through the head are too small and need to be machined, a reputable suplier will take care of this.
2. Make sure you get guide plates from the same suplier. The guideplates needed are unique. You will not be able to get the roller rockers lined up correctly over the valves with any off the shelf guide plates.
3. They have large volume intake runners and are not really suited for a 302. They work better with a larger displacement engine to accomodte for the lack of torque from the large intake runners.
4. I will be replacing them soon, too much BS for the savings in money.
5. Beware that a lot of companies are selling these as their private label heads.
6. 5.0 Magazine used them recently on tehir 347 build up with mild porting done and made pretty good power.
1. If you are going to buy the heads, get them assembled from a reputable supplier. The pushrod holes going through the head are too small and need to be machined, a reputable suplier will take care of this.
2. Make sure you get guide plates from the same suplier. The guideplates needed are unique. You will not be able to get the roller rockers lined up correctly over the valves with any off the shelf guide plates.
3. They have large volume intake runners and are not really suited for a 302. They work better with a larger displacement engine to accomodte for the lack of torque from the large intake runners.
4. I will be replacing them soon, too much BS for the savings in money.
5. Beware that a lot of companies are selling these as their private label heads.
6. 5.0 Magazine used them recently on tehir 347 build up with mild porting done and made pretty good power.
stangbear427
Active Member
The very simple economic rule is: you get what you pay for. Some people would rather invest sweat into a part than money, and put the difference towards something else. It isn't for everyone, but it does make perfect sense. I.E. It would be assinine for Thumper to shell out the bucks for AFR's.
jtfairlane
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- Mar 5, 2006
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thumper460 said:
Thumper, I know who you are and how familiar you are with small block Ford heads, but is it possible you are mistaking "Pro Comp" heads from Australia for "Pro Topline" heads from Australia? I've never heard of Pro Comp heads coming from Australia, only China. Pro Topline on the other hand is the former name of RHS heads, which made fantastic heads out of Australia, and RHS is now a division of Comp Cams.
rickd93_lx
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- Dec 22, 2005
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ive seen many threads on this subject try a search, but i do recall one thread where ed c said they were not fabricated very well , and did not recomend them at all, ill try to find it and post it here.
i was on ebay researching the cheap aluminum heads and i did find the pro comps from china and the ones from australia so thumper is right ! i guess just stay away from the ones from china...... i stayed away from both and went ahead and had my 66 model 289 heads worked with 1.90 int and 1.60 exh valves screw in studs and guide plates and ported them my self and i have about 560 in them ! and i like beating the aluminum headed cars and telling them i have stock heads.......
