Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Flo-tek heads

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 283john, Feb 15, 2020.

  1. Fixing to build a (I know, yawn) SBC for my dad's '51 Chevy. Anybody use the Speedway Flo-tek heads and have a report on them? Gonna be a 355 , dual plane, 4bbl, Comp XE 250, 9:1.....
     
  2. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,299

    oldiron 440
    Member

    Are they Pro Comp heads with a different name?
     
  3. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,029

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    You neglect to mention which head you are thinking of getting..! But, the couple that have reviews, except for one guy, all seem happy with their purchase.
    It's hard to actually screw up a cylinder head today.
    Reading the specs., all seems good. Per the photographs, they appear to have a good overall design for a performance street head. The prices are reasonable.


    In any case, if you have a problem, you can...return them.

    Mike
     
  4. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Mike, the one thing that is easy to screw up is valve stem to guide clearance, dosen't take more than a couple thou. too loose to start having a "plug fouler".
    I guess it depends on how many Tsingtaos' were consumed with lunch!;)
     

  5. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    Good heads, get a set from Chad Speier.
     
    1Nimrod, loudbang and 283john like this.
  6. Ericnova72
    Joined: May 1, 2007
    Posts: 595

    Ericnova72
    Member
    from Michigan

    Yep, Speier Racing Heads offers them and tunes them up if you want also, as one of his more budget friendly options.

    They are an imported casting, but said to be well done.
    Not the same as a ProComp casting.(ProComp is SpeedMaster now)

    Another good import casting is the one going under the ProHeader, Assault, NKB, RPC names around Ebay, Chad also used that casting for a budget deal.
     
  7. Never ever say yawn when it comes to the Small Block Chevrolet! Greatest engine ever built! I’m also watching this thread because I’m eyeing those heads too.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  8. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Pro Maxx also sells a nice product. Flo Tek heads look good and have good reviews.
     
    1Nimrod and mad mikey like this.
  9. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    If you get them from Speedway or someplace similar, have them checked before using. If you get them from Speier Racing you can bolt them on when you get them.
     
    1Nimrod likes this.
  10. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You tube has some pretty good reasons for buying empty heads and having them built buy reputable shops... Wirth watching IMO
     
    1Nimrod likes this.
  11. I was looking at those, Promaxx, and the NKOTB heads...I’d choose either of those over the Flo Techs..they are both built up with better components...I said “buy once, cry once” and went with Trick Flows Instead
     
    1Nimrod and seb fontana like this.
  12. Ericnova72
    Joined: May 1, 2007
    Posts: 595

    Ericnova72
    Member
    from Michigan

    That is one of the reasons a couple of use recommended Speier for the Flo-Teks rather than Speedway....he uses better grade of parts. I think Speedway is just buying assembled heads from Flo-Tek,... Speier will either sell you bare or assembled with either the stock Flo-Tek valvejob or with his own valve seat cuts, but all versions when assembled from him come with his chosen components...no Flo-Tek assembly parts.
    The cheap grade of valves, springs, studs, etc is where the import assembly's are cutting corners to offer the super low price.
     
    1Nimrod and INVISIBLEKID like this.
  13. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    You think even Edelbrock's cheap doesn't use the best stuff. A friend brought me a set of Edelbrocks to put on his OT Fox Mustang with a 5.0.
    I tested the valve seal and 6 out 8 leaked. 2 of the valves were tight in the guide and a few were loose.
     
  14. The flow-tek heads are good.

    budy who owns a machine shop says the castings are well done, and decent valves.
    But pulls the valves and fixes a few things, nothing major so I’m guessing guides and seals
    Says after some rework they are good to go for the price can’t go wrong.
     
    1Nimrod likes this.
  15. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    Just be careful with any of the overseas heads, always have them checked before use, with some of them you'll end up spending again what you have in the cost of the heads.
     
    1Nimrod likes this.
  16. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    Honestly I wouldn't choose either of those heads over the FloTek heads.
     
    1Nimrod likes this.
  17. Why’s that? I’ve heard positives on the Pro Maxx stuff, they machine them in their place in Alabama, use Comp Camps components, and they seem to flow pretty good numbers
     
    INVISIBLEKID likes this.
  18. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    Good information. It gets funny near the end-------the next time some lame dude spouts off about how he gets all his information off the Web—ask him to show you the last time he read a comprehensive test like this from a free Web-based publication.
     
  19. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    Maybe they've gotten better since they introduced, but there were troubles back then.
     
  20. Yeah I got a lot a “your gonna do what” from friends...what’s the old saying..” speed costs..how fast ya wanna go” I figured for a few hundred more I could get a set of heads that have proven themselves on the track and dyno..
     
    1Nimrod and Deuces like this.
  21. They were in the running when I was head hunting for my SBC. I went with a Dart set of heads in at around $1000. I even called Flo Tek up and talked with them.
     
    1Nimrod and INVISIBLEKID like this.
  22. What ever happened to Brodix, AFR, Trick Flow, Mo Town/ Dart........Are we being cheap now a days? You get what you pay for......Haven't heard anybody bitching about those...... They DO make "street"heads, or should I say- NOT all out race........
    Great that someone offers other's, and know's, and can correct the issues they might have, but now- your buying heads,then having them worked.......
    Always read here to support our economy, but- yet, cheap seem's to be going trend........
    If your not making HP, why would you want aluminum heads in the first place?
    Shrugging shoulders........?
     
    seb fontana and 1934coupe like this.
  23. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    We use Darts Iron Eagles but when they asked what we were going to do with them they strongly suggested not their stage 2 flat tappet which we needed. Reason, 1/2 mile dirt track 422" .. He says we are way to hard on them. Street or drags ok but 5000rpm in the corners and 7000 on the straights for 20-25 laps kill them. So we have them assembled at a local shop and they live 2 seasons.
     
  24. Brian Penrod
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 216

    Brian Penrod
    Member

    I wouldn't put any out of the box head on a build without going through them. Hot rodders have always been cheap. If I was building for horsepower only I would go with a more modern platform.
     
    seb fontana likes this.
  25. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    AFR 210's on my 427 sbc, cnc ported.
     
    INVISIBLEKID likes this.
  26. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Pro Maxx 210's on my new 333 Windsor also cnc ported. Set up for .700 lift . Came with Comp components. 20180329_112627.jpg 20180329_112851.jpg
     
  27. jaw22w
    Joined: Mar 2, 2013
    Posts: 1,671

    jaw22w
    Member
    from Indiana

    IMG_0003.JPG
    Profiler 210cc on my 383 SBC. Great heads. Built in USA
     
  28. Trick Flow on my 289 build....seems like the Ford guys love em...seem to make good power...seemed like this or AFR were the ones to go with.. E820670A-7866-4CEF-BA3B-175EFC1FACFE.jpeg
     
  29. thirtytwo
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,639

    thirtytwo
    Member

    Was wondering the same thing, how much are you really saving vs an afr or brodix?
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.