From my personal experience I would highly recommend not buying the EQ heads. Especially the 2.02 heads from Clearwater. They don't machine the head for the larger valve to seat properly. I wish I would have taken pictures of them to show you guys, the valve had a .010 lip for it to seat. the springs, retainers and locks are not matched properly for each other. The retainers used on my head were about .020 bigger than the spring, that's ID. As for guides they just drilled the head for the valve stem, literally it a stainless steel valve stem rubbing against a cast steel head! Needless to say my valve stems were trashed. As well they crack just like the factory ones! On top of all this Clearwater won't warranty my heads, and they weren't even a year old and had less than 14,000 miles!

Really just save your money and buy the Edelbrock heads, there a savings in disguise and a bones for performance!

 

RM Indy, how do you mean 'a bit on the low side'? Too low numerically?

Busaguy, that is good to know. Thanks.

 

maybe the first bash i have ever heard about EQ heads

 

I'll have to do a little more research then because this is the first bad thing I've heard about them as well. I've been giving serious consideration to buying a set from them. I would just drive over to their store and pick them up since I live less than an hour from them.

 

General rule of thumb with new heads is you should as a minimum get a 3angle valve job & basic port job to clean up any sloppy castings or flash.
If they arent checked out thoroughly you can get some nasty surprises.
Not worth finding out the hardway like busaguy05.

A buddy had loaded Eddy heads still in the box which I wanted.
He decided instead he wanted MP al bare heads so he could go stgIV on them.
I bought new MP bare al heads & traded him, we sent both sets to our machine shop to get reworked.

Mine came back with 3angle VJ, port matched for in/exh gaskets, stgIII blower porting & as they were not level or flat they also had to be decked.
Also had the shop swap to 650L springs & titanium retainers before reassmebling them.
Buddys heads came back as recieved, shop wouldnt touch them cause they were literally garbage.
Turned out that one cylinder on each head the casting had shifted so bad that chamber wouldnt of lined up with the cylinder below it.
The exh valve hole on that cylinder was also off 8* from all the others.
If they had of been loaded up & installed on the block the exhaust vavle would of hit the edge of the block & probably tipped the head of the valve into buddies custom recessed pistons (running 610L solid lifter cam/12:1cr).
The one domed piston probably would of hit the head.
Chances are it pretty well would of destroyed his forged 408.
Took some talking with the dealer where I bought them & our machine shop to finally get another set, they were exactly the same.
All said & done, 27sets of MP alum heads got melted down & recast cause every set they had in MI warehouse was the same.
Took 9months to finally get recast set of heads to replace them.
Long time but no money lost & didnt destroy his forged 408.
Yes it cost more but it has the potential to save many thousands of $

 

I've heard from a couple different people similar issues with the Edelbrock head castings.

 

This seems like something I should do more research on. Thank you all for the information. I really appreciate it.

Any suggestions as to what gears I should put in it? Honestly, I was considering leaving the 3.55's in there, and just go to a LSD in the back. The front I've always assumed I should leave open.

 

What size tires do you want to run?

 

i was really thinking of clear water heads ill prob pass now lol

 

I hear ya guys on not hearing anything bad about the EQ heads. That's why I bought them. As the saying goes "you get what you pay for" applies here. Regardless of what head you get I'll agree with RM Indy, get a good reputable head guy to check them out. It's a lesson I learned the hard way.