Whiteperfomance1 & Assault Racing - heads any good???

[DaveMcLain]

I have no soapbox on which to stand. The only reason to question a product's specification by country of origin comes down to whether their industry is sufficiently advanced to manufacture the product. It doesn't matter whether it's rubber tub ducks or jet engine turbine blades.

The Chinese have a competitive aerospace industry. So it should probably go without saying they are sufficiently advanced in materials and processes.

The one and only reason you can and do get cheap, poorly made crap from China or any Third World country is because the company contracting the manufacturing has set a very low standard out of cost consideration. And if cost is the prime consideration -whether it's made here or elsewhere- then you get that product with appeal to the price shopper. China can pour and machine a cylinder head just as good a Dart or Brodix or anyone else, but no one is asking them to do that.

You can blame the Chinese for sub-standard crap that comes to our shores but the real culprit is whoever set the manufacturing standard for the job. You'll pay for the high end no matter where it's made.

A customer of mine from California works in the tech industry and he was telling me about how it can work with Chinese suppliers. In one example they were buying a circuit board and they specified that they wanted the highest quality, QC and they would be willing to pay more, no problem. The first few batches of the boards came in and they were perfect and built exactly to their specifications. Later though when more boards came in they were "cost reduced"... They complained and the Chinese supplier said that they had reduced cost and shipped more product for the same price. He said that they told them that's not what they wanted and it was really hard to get the Chinese to understand that a company in the US would not always go for the cheapest price. In other words the Chinese can build great quality but for some reason they seem to be stuck in a rock bottom price mentality which seems strange.

Another time he said that they did a design and then went for the lowest price planning on doing their all of the QC in house and just scrapping the boards that were bad. He said that while this was wasteful it worked out ok and it was actually an easier concept to get across to the Chinese.

[David Vizard]

I ported a couple of sets. One set made 540hp with junk Chinese parts and shelf cam. When I really got after one making it wide over short side it broke through. Took it to my welder and he played the game chase the crack. Finally bought a new one. The aluminum isn’t the same.

David Ik heads are a cheap American head. Let me know if I can help.

Eric,
You along with a bunch of ST contributors have been a great help. I could not have spent the time doing all this research on my own.
thanks fellas.

DV

[Ericnova]

[/quote]

Skip get his heads form ProMaxx; https://promaxxperformance.com/


Jason is a good kid.
[/quote]

You sure about that....the castings Skip is selling as the NKB head look absolutely nothing like either of ProMaxx's current offerings (Series ! and The Maxx), or the past Patriot head either.

[racear2865]

Skip get his heads form ProMaxx; https://promaxxperformance.com/


Jason is a good kid.
[/quote]

You sure about that....the castings Skip is selling as the NKB head look absolutely nothing like either of ProMaxx's current offerings (Series ! and The Maxx), or the past Patriot head either.
[/quote]

As stated, I just disassembled a engine from there and the heads definitely are not Promaxx as I have worked on several sets of them.
reed

[turdwilly]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

[Nefario]

In other words the Chinese can build great quality but for some reason they seem to be stuck in a rock bottom price mentality which seems strange.

Another time he said that they did a design and then went for the lowest price planning on doing their all of the QC in house and just scrapping the boards that were bad. He said that while this was wasteful it worked out ok and it was actually an easier concept to get across to the Chinese.

If anyone is interested in Chinese sourcing you should read the book "Poorly Made in China". I used to work with electronics built in China and the book is very accurate.

Basically anyone over 30-40 grew up in a hardcore communist society where everybody scraped out the best living they could in a black market economy outside of the government markets and industries. They have a real problem understanding why NOT to cost reduce if a products basic function is maintained. Almost every business in China is based on total cost of production and net profit (ie, scrapping parts is fine), NOT pleasing the customer.

[mark_follweiler]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

then exactly what was the issue?

[F-BIRD'88]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

Is that a reflection on your work or the Pro Comp parts used?

[af2]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

then exactly what was the issue?

Yes please enlighten us..

[Newold1]

On the question of whether all Chinese produced automotive engines or parts are suspect and junk and not sure of quality control and production methods:

Watch the 15 minute youtube video BMW engine factory in China and your opinion and attitude about Chinese production and quality capabilities might shift a bit.


Obviously BMW spent a great deal of effort and money setting up this kind of factory, but we must consider a lot of US manufacturers can do the same anytime! Read the Chinese "TEA LEAVES" here and think about how to preserve our futures and not become a third world country.

With the proper setup and investment they can do anything as good or better than a lot of production here in the USA or around the world.

The big advantage they have is with billions in low cost laborers they can do this way cheaper than we can here in the USA. This is exactly why we must be careful about our intellectual property, our deficient education system and the future of our workforce here in the USA!

[lefty o]

there is no doubt that the chinese are capable of producing quality items, the problem is they and those who contract with them seem to cut corners like there is no tomorrow in order to save pennies. result is there are some good chinese items being made, but you have to sort thru a ton of crap to find them.

[Mark O'Neal]

Skip get his heads form ProMaxx; https://promaxxperformance.com/


Jason is a good kid.
[/quote]

You sure about that....the castings Skip is selling as the NKB head look absolutely nothing like either of ProMaxx's current offerings (Series ! and The Maxx), or the past Patriot head either.
[/quote]


It may have changed sinc I had that conversation.

If so...belay my last.

[NXBOY]

Hey CHAD SPEIER do you thing theses 12 cc domed SRPs have a chance fitting in the Profilers Chambers?? Cutting valve relief is no biggy, just don't want to have to loose alot of dome.

[turdwilly]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

Is that a reflection on your work or the Pro Comp parts used?

Wow, thanks. Are you a salesman for White? Or just a defender of Procomp?

[turdwilly]

I "assembled" a SBC 406 for a friend several years ago (I told him not to tell anyone that I "built" the engine - I only assembled what he brought me.) He had gone against my advice & my recommended parts & bought a "package" from White Performance. Everything was Chinese, heads & intake were Procomp & they were both absolute junk. About the only decent parts were the Probe pistons. I don't know if that's what he is still selling or not. Shockingly that engine is still running.

then exactly what was the issue?

Yes please enlighten us..

Heads - rocker stud bosses were not drilled in alignment with each other - they were all over the place. Valve cover bolt holes were the same. Had to grind for clearance for head bolts & for 5/16" pushrods. There was also an issue with the springs but it's been so long ago that I don't remember exactly what it was.

Intake - port alignment was so poor that I had to buy universal "cut port opening to fit" gaskets & ended up with less than 1/8" of sealing area above the roof.