What Are Procomp Heads Copied From?

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
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Idle hands...

So, obviously not "fox related" as most of us know my fox is in a holding pattern until powder coating finishes up - and he's in the process of moving shops right now.

But - my '94 F-150 (code name Pink Panty Dropper, cuz it's pinkish) has a 154k mile 351w. I noticed a little tick in it last night while working on other things; sounds like a lifter. Assuming I have to pull the intake, valve cover, etc. I get to thinking, "wonder if I can find some cheap heads to swap on while I'm at it?"

The truck has plenty of low end, but wheezes out past mid rpm. It has no tach, so who knows what I spin it to. I'm thinking of slapping in a HO cam from a mustang, some roller rockers, having the lower intake ported, and some marginally better heads. I saw a set of ProComp 230cc heads the other day for $500. Way bigger than I need, but it got the cage turning. What are Procomp heads based off of? All I know is they're Chinee and the hardware needs to be replaced. Out side of that... are they OK for marginal performance gains?
 
You need a RV camshaft...not a HO cam. The truck needs more torque lower in the power band to get moving. Some folks call them " torque " camshafts...but I'm a lil' old school and like calling them " RV " cams. You'll also be if it from longer runners on the upper intake. There's a reason why truck intakes are so tall.
 
procomp heads.. snort. The owner of the company buys from different sources so who knows what heads you are getting. They used to be Speedmaster, Patriot and about a dozen other names. I've seem to many horror stories of leaking water, crooked valve seats or guides,aligment problems.stud holes drilled through the head.. and on an on

0612151657_zpsrc2vlav5.webp
 
procomp heads.. snort. The owner of the company buys from different sources so who knows what heads you are getting. They used to be Speedmaster, Patriot and about a dozen other names. I've seem to many horror stories of leaking water, crooked valve seats or guides,aligment problems.stud holes drilled through the head.. and on an on

0612151657_zpsrc2vlav5.webp
This.

But to answer the thread title, last I heard they were (cheap, bad) copies of edelbrock victor jr. heads.
 
Dude I can't even keep one turbo car running. Two would end in divorce.
Now now Collin.

Don't be so hard on yourself. It's a learning curve for all of us. I've done more than my share of damage to an engine/car as a result of not knowing any better...

Shall I list?

Ran the Big Turbo'd, R block'd meth fueled 363 that I whore the pic everywhere too lean 3 times in a row sorting it out. Killed an TFS R head twice, and cut a trench into the block where it couldn't be saved.

Rattled the 351w so hard that I split the 351 in half in the Mitsu that's pictured in my sig.

After initially killing the fresh engine build due to a wiped cam lobe during breakin-in, Ran my budget 460 on 93 octane pump gas w/ 37 degrees timing,...and 300 HP of two staged nitrous. Consequently blowing out a freeze plug, which caused loss of control, as a result of painting the track with antifreeze, and caused my newly finished 1980 coupe to hit the wall at the local track. After swapping the engine into another car, I learned about octane, and timing w/ regard to nitrous, and changed both accordingly to allow the car to run, but eventually split a cylinder open and killed that engine in the new car.

Put pistons in upside down in my 428CJ car,..effectively putting the valve reliefs where there was no valve to "relieve". Guess how many intake valve I bent.

I'm sure that if I really think about it,..I could write a small pamphlet on the boneheadisms I've done w/ engines/cars over the last 40 years,..but that would take a concentrated effort.

Your engine died because you needed to learn a few things,.....now hopefully you know them. That's how we learn.
 
Now now Collin.

That was 95% a jab at my schedule as of late. I haven't touched the silver car in 2 months it seems. The wife had (uncharacteristically) complained last night that I've spent a handful of evening hours this week working on the truck and cooking hooch and not hanging out with her. I can't even imagine tearing down a second vehicle and having 50% of my cars running.

I did change the oil in the truck last night and put in 20w with some Lucas additive, but it didn't have any effect on the ticking. I'm thinking I might be overreacting as it's not terribly loud. I drove it to work today and it runs 80mph almost as well as the coyote.
 
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Check your exhaust manifolds, a small exhaust leak at the flange can sound like a lifter tick.

If that's a roller motor (I know the 94+ blocks are roller ready but don't know when they actually switched cams) a thicker oil may reduce the ticking. I've always ran 10w-30 in pushed motors and 5w-20 in ohc's.
 
Check your exhaust manifolds, a small exhaust leak at the flange can sound like a lifter tick.

If that's a roller motor (I know the 94+ blocks are roller ready but don't know when they actually switched cams) a thicker oil may reduce the ticking. I've always ran 10w-30 in pushed motors and 5w-20 in ohc's.

Makes me nervous messing with the manifolds. They're... well.. 23 year old truck manifolds. I can feel the bolts breaking now!