help me decide on heads

[ChevyDieselLLY]

Would like to do some head work as long as its in the budget. Would vavle springs and steel retainers from SoCal be good enough? Don't want to spend an arm and a leg yet at the same time I would like to do it right. Also after installing new springs what is needed to be done to the heads? Can you check clearances yourself or is this something for a trained person to do?

Thanks

 

[madmatt]

what's the head work budget and the goal for the build??

 

[ChevyDieselLLY]

Really isn't a budget just for the heads. Total for the build it 7500.

 

[ripmf666]

Buy the time you buy the springs and pay for the work the stage 1's work out cheaper in the long run. Man your cutting it close on a 7,500 build. I had 8,500 in mine before the twin cp3's and the injectors.

 

[madmatt]

imo, springs and retainers alone should be fine and while port work is great, I don't think it's necessary to show good numbers since these heads already flow good.. save the money and stick it into other parts.

 

[ChevyDieselLLY]

But can I put in springs in myself and call it a day. Or do they need to be checked to make sure clearances are good?

Yea I know I'm cutting it close but don't really have any more money to drop into it.

 

[SmokeShow]

Plus u sold ur dual cp3. I think u can surely get reasonable shortblock together for ur price range?

Right now I would just do springs & retainers if anything.

 

[TrentNell]

Plus u sold ur dual cp3. I think u can surely get reasonable shortblock together for ur price range?

Right now I would just do springs & retainers if anything.

X2 , you can do the springs and retainers your self just do 1 at a time , clean the valves and seats once the valve is out , re-install and move onto the next , after your done send the heads out to be pressure checked and straight edged and you should be good to go.

 

[ChevyDieselLLY]

How much does getting them presure checked normaly go for? I know I will spend about $600 on the springs and retainers. Just not looking to spend an arm on the check lol

 

[TrentNell]

How much does getting them presure checked normaly go for? I know I will spend about $600 on the springs and retainers. Just not looking to spend an arm on the check lol

not sure but any thing over a couple hundred is too much IMOP .

 

[68skylark455]

Average used to be between $60 and $125 to pressure check anything. just do like trent said, one at a time. its not hard on the bench and make sure and get the seats really clean and you should have no issues. Someone had a set of stage1's for sale in the garage sell section pretty cheap I think too.

 

[JoshH]

Buy the time you buy the springs and pay for the work the stage 1's work out cheaper in the long run. Man your cutting it close on a 7,500 build. I had 8,500 in mine before the twin cp3's and the injectors.

Stage 1

(For the budget conscious racer)

• Send us your complete cylinder heads and we will perform the following and reassemble with your valves.

• Simultaneous 5 axis CNC porting of the valve bowls only and radius of the intake inlet.

• Precision 5 angle valve job. We maintain the factory measurement spec from the deck to the valve.

• 32 New spring cup bases.

• 32 Chrome Moly retainers, specifically made for SoCal Diesel.

• 32 New Beehive "Ovate" wire valve springs. We designed these springs specifically for the performance needs of a Duramax. They are made specifically for SoCal Diesel and are not available from anyone else.

• 32 New Valve stem seals.

• Prior to assembly the cylinder head deck surface is given a clean up cut to insure flatness.

$2,200.00



• These "Ovate" wire "Beehive" valve springs are designed around the specific performance needs of the Duramax engine and are made exclusively for SoCal Diesel. **Set of 32 $384.00**

• Steel retainers, designed for our Beehive spring packages, half the cost of Titanium.
**Set of 32 $176.00**


• Hardened O.D. spring cups designed and manufactured using the latest in solid modeling and Cad/Cam technology exclusively by SoCal Diesel. **Set of 32 $120.00**


• Performance valve stem seals.

**Set of 32 seals $73.60**

Total: $753.60

Henry, are you really paying $1500 to have a set of springs installed and the heads checked?

I would go with the springs and retainers while you are in there. It's cheap insurance.

 

[SmokeShow]

Josh, add line item #2 from the stage 1 heads to your summation at the bottom AND add for assembly. I don't know what that level of porting should or normally costs elsewhere but if it's $1200 and the assembly and checking, etc. is $300, I don't know if that is all that out of align is it?


Later.

 

[TrentNell]

Josh, add line item #2 from the stage 1 heads to your summation at the bottom AND add for assembly. I don't know what that level of porting should or normally costs elsewhere but if it's $1200 and the assembly and checking, etc. is $300, I don't know if that is all that out of align is it?


Later.

I dont think its out of line if you need the head work done , if you need valve seals , a full valve job , ect sure there is a lot of time into a full blown head job , but if your heads are in perfect order , just needing springs then yes its too much IMOP , its not that Guy is charging too much , your just paying for machine work that is not needed , and Guy cant sell anything less because then he would get the shaft when it didn't work out right , even though he did excatcly what he was told to do.

 

[ripmf666]

Henry, are you really paying $1500 to have a set of springs installed and the heads checked?

I would go with the springs and retainers while you are in there. It's cheap insurance.

Josh once you add the Springs,new locks and retainers seals then pressure check and the cost of clean and a valve job and if they need tried up it adds up very fast at that point I would go to stage 1's to gain the cnc porting and all at that point only be another 600 at that point.

Now for mine it still has stock spring and all just cleans and checked the spring pressure and valves to make sure the one did not get bent. I still have the stock cam keyed and new stock main bolts mine was a budget build. Still cheaper then buying one from Gm.

 

[Stingpuller]

Spring + Ret.

If your going to run any boost at all and add some RPM you will need springs. Guys kit seems to work fairly well. I would save your money on porting. Jeff