I just recently had someone tell me the speedmaster heads are known to crack and have valve seats fall out. Has anyone had either of these issues with the olds head from them?

 

Mark Remmel builds them and hasn't had any issues like that. Figure we would've heard of them by now.

 

I've been running a set for ~5 years. No problems.

 

Yeah, that's what i kinda figured. If it was happening we would have seen it here. Honestly I think the guy just hates anything not made in the USA. I get it to a point but I couldn't wait for months and bought mine bare to build them the right way

 

Thanks. I didn't expect to here anything bad about the cracks or seats falling out. Just figured I would ask in case I missed it somewhere.

 

I’ve prepared and/or run probably 30 sets, no issues.

 

whoever told you that, don’t speak to them again

 

Seems this IS a problem for some reason with Speedmaster and other forms of heads but not so much with Olds stuff? I know and seen a few BBc heads that seats fell out of with my own eyes. YES Speedmaster gets a bad wrap for quality. Yet I have seen some of there stuff work and work well if your not trying to run Pro Stock. I actually HAD a set of Pro Comp heads that came off a 7 sec dragster.I was able to buy the complete heads with SR spring, moly 10 deg retainers, and keyed Scorpion rockers for LESS then just the cost of the rockers. They came off a low 500" BBc and everyone told the owner he would pick up going to AFR comp ported 325's. Well guess what, he slowed over 2 tenths. With the heads and other changes to get the car to run the same number, he was $8,000.00 out.

For some reason, Speedmaster Olds stuff seems to work respectable. I think too many get caught up in the whole "MADE IN THE USA" things, and I too believe in that too, to a point. Just need one of the good CHINA head groups (Flotek or ProMaxx) to do a worked over Olds heads.....

 

When their heads were sold under the pro comp label they had some valve guide and rough casting problems. I’ve had those heads in for repairs .

I haven’t seen those problems in a long time. the finish’s and casting quality is very good now. they do use basic ductile iron seats though. thats fine for everything except big spring pressure solid roller stuff.

 

Dale, I would probably agree. I do think there rep is TERRIBLE and most only know them for selling junk parts. BUT I was watch ROADKILL the other day and they were using some Speedmaster stuff, one part was a Speedmaster 9" center section. And they beat the crap out of it. MY Pro Comp BBc heads came from Tom VanDerGeld, owner of Hitman Hotrods. He was teamed up with a Nitro coupe years ago, and built Rod Subourys '63 Vette. So the man does know something and like I posted, needed to spend big $$$ with the AFR set up to run with hs cheapy Pro Comps.

Now the whole putting someone else's name on there parts is shady. For me, to use Speedmaster parts would have to be a mild-ish build, and the $$$ MUST be big to take the chance along with others who have experiences with that EXACT part.

I got my Speedmasters used off a guy in Toronto who upgraded to a Mondelo ported Speedmasters. Mine did have a intake valve issue on one heads, minor that could have been taken care of with lash caps, but came with a set of 2.125 intakes, for $400 CND. On our bench, it was reported that the Mondelo's were NOT all that great and I think only had about 25 cfm over the stock Speedmasters. Thunderz is pretty good at the whole induction game (heads, intake cams) so I think I will surpass the goal of my car.