2nd Gen Ram Tech 1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.

New heads - Clearwater/Odessa Standard or Engine Quest heads?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 10-23-2018, 08:06 AM
1997JollyGreenGiant's Avatar
1997JollyGreenGiant
1997JollyGreenGiant is offline
Record Breaker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky
Posts: 1,130
Received 15 Likes on 15 Posts
Default New heads - Clearwater/Odessa Standard or Engine Quest heads?

So my truck has 195k+ miles on it and I've got cracked heads. Still runs and drives fine, but cylinders 7 and 8 have compression barely over 100psi, while the rest of the cylinders are about 130psi. In the spring I plan on replacing my rusty rocker panels, and installing new cylinder heads. I'm wondering if the more expensive Engine Quest heads are worth it over the standard new heads (with thicker castings) that Clearwater / Odessa sells?

The truck is mostly stock, it has the kegger mod (but I might put an un-altered intake back on for more torque), and all the exhaust is aftermarket except for the manifolds. I do have a new, never used M1 Intake I could put on the truck if I ever re-built the engine, but that's for another time. I may decide to put some shorty headers on the truck in the spring though.

The truck does lose a little antifreeze, I think I'm buring it in cylinders 7 and 8 as I get a little white smoke on start up, and I can't find a leak for the antifreeze and there are no puddles.

So what do you think? Are Engine Quest heads worth it over the standard new heads?
 
  #2  
Old 10-23-2018, 08:26 AM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is offline
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,777
Likes: 0
Received 3,179 Likes on 2,932 Posts
Default

The EQ heads supposedly flow better than stock..... not sure if that would cause performance issues without a tune to account for them.
 
  #3  
Old 10-23-2018, 08:48 AM
1997JollyGreenGiant's Avatar
1997JollyGreenGiant
1997JollyGreenGiant is offline
Record Breaker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky
Posts: 1,130
Received 15 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

Ok, gotcha. I forgot to mention I do have the HemiFever canned tunes running on my truck to kill the death flash. Don't know if that makes a different though.
 
  #4  
Old 10-23-2018, 09:20 AM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is offline
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,777
Likes: 0
Received 3,179 Likes on 2,932 Posts
Default

Sure won't hurt. And upgrading to custom tunes is pretty cheap. (if you need to....)
 
  #5  
Old 10-23-2018, 09:32 AM
1997JollyGreenGiant's Avatar
1997JollyGreenGiant
1997JollyGreenGiant is offline
Record Breaker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky
Posts: 1,130
Received 15 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

That might be what I do then. Just found the EQ heads for $875 a pair, seems like a good deal. Hope I can find them at that price when I'm ready to purchase (need to do my rocker panels first).
 
  #6  
Old 10-23-2018, 03:13 PM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is offline
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,777
Likes: 0
Received 3,179 Likes on 2,932 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 1997JollyGreenGiant
That might be what I do then. Just found the EQ heads for $875 a pair, seems like a good deal. Hope I can find them at that price when I'm ready to purchase (need to do my rocker panels first).
Yeah, that IS a good price. Normally they are in four digits.....
 
  #7  
Old 10-23-2018, 03:33 PM
AtomicDog's Avatar
AtomicDog
AtomicDog is offline
Champion
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Central VA
Posts: 4,139
Received 301 Likes on 284 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 1997JollyGreenGiant
That might be what I do then. Just found the EQ heads for $875 a pair, seems like a good deal. Hope I can find them at that price when I'm ready to purchase (need to do my rocker panels first).
Might want to buy those heads sooner than later if you're definitely going to do this engine work. That's a great price on those heads, which could certainly go higher.
 
  #8  
Old 10-23-2018, 10:50 PM
1997JollyGreenGiant's Avatar
1997JollyGreenGiant
1997JollyGreenGiant is offline
Record Breaker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky
Posts: 1,130
Received 15 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

The heads are on order. Went ahead and got them. There are 2 more sets available on Ebay if anyone is interested.
 
  #9  
Old 10-24-2018, 01:02 AM
MoparFanatic21's Avatar
MoparFanatic21
MoparFanatic21 is offline
Legend
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 8,032
Received 306 Likes on 298 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 1997JollyGreenGiant
The heads are on order. Went ahead and got them. There are 2 more sets available on Ebay if anyone is interested.
I'll buy one if you but them for me wish my funds allowed that
 
  #10  
Old 10-24-2018, 08:02 AM
1997JollyGreenGiant's Avatar
1997JollyGreenGiant
1997JollyGreenGiant is offline
Record Breaker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky
Posts: 1,130
Received 15 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by MoparFanatic21
I'll buy one if you but them for me wish my funds allowed that
I bet you would, but no can do. I only bought because it was a good price and I need heads for the truck. Outside of that, I have a wife, a kid, a mortgage, and a car payment on the wife's car.
 


Quick Reply: New heads - Clearwater/Odessa Standard or Engine Quest heads?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:37 PM.