troy6166

Anyone?

Pb82 Ronin

In there for details. They're like a mystery head. Not very much info out there on them. Very limited flow data is publicly available, I think that keeps people from pulling the trigger on purchasing them.

8850

No flow data and from the web site seem pricy.

98TransAm

What are you building

troy6166

Just trying to resolve the valve guide issue, if i pick up a little power in the process that would be nice as well.

I had the factory heads ported, decked, added solid SS exhaust valves and installed a camshaft with 7K miles on the car. The factory valve guides were perfect at the time of the modifications so we opted to run with the factory guide. The car now has ~15K miles and the guides are shot.

I'm hoping RHS has taken the valve guide issues into consideration when casting their head, they will get back with me tomorrow to discuss further.

98TransAm

are you running the stock rockers?

troy6166

stock GM rockers with the comp trunnion upgrade.

double06

Talk to Chris Frank at Frankenstein Heads, I think in Texas. I think they flow 393 / 250 at .600 lift. They have started doing a lot of these.

troy6166

Appreciate the information, I'll check it out. The flow numbers at .600" are incredible! With those flow numbers and valve guides that hold up for 30-40k miles I may begin to love my Z06 again!

pkincy

Sorry to hear of the guide problem, but glad that you took the time and trouble to check and avoided greater damage.

Coach62

Solid SS valves are much cheaper than the valves GM uses. If they were best, GM would surely use them.

I opted for the WCCH modification with new GM valves instead of solid SS valves.

My plan is to check the guides for wear in a couple of years, depending on mileage and see how the wear is.

Under no circumstances would I use the stock guides, I believe that is the main problem based on my research.

Pb82 Ronin

That must be an in house head then...the ONLY CFM numbers I've been able to find with the RHS heads are 375/230 @ .650. Even RHS doesn't post flow numbers in their catalog.

If your number are correct, that means that they have the HIGHEST flowing intake runner on an LS7 head available at .600

'06 Quicksilver Z06

So if I'm counting up your mileage right, you only got 8K miles out of your valve guides after the modifications were done.

That's not a lot of miles at all

Please do let us know what RHS has to say about the guides.

troy6166

Not sure I'm convinced the guides are the main problem. IMO it's a combination of things that promotes excessive valve guide wear.

troy6166

I sure will…

'06 Quicksilver Z06

It's been said before that when the stock guides start to wear, that wear accelerates and accelerates quickly once wear begins.

Your case sounds like an example of that.

Sounds like they may have still been in spec when the modifications were done, but wear may have already started, just not to the point to where they were out of spec.

Do you know what the stem to guide clearances were when the work was originally done?

Coach62

And what is the combination of those things? An aftermarket camshaft could certainly be one.

Unfortunately, we won't know for some time yet. I love my car enough to stay on top of the issue.

troy6166

Rocker arm geometry , valve guide geometry, valve guide material, lubricants and camshaft (including stock).

The experts will probably add some I have missed.

blackc6z

His car and my car where built exactly alike with the same guy doing the work and same camshaft. I have roughly the same milage on my build, had my guides check last week and my guides are worse than troy6166. Mine were also perfect before the build and I had 21000 miles when build was done now have 29000 miles. Really hating the LS7 at this point.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

So you didn't get new guides either?

No other work on the heads, just new valves and springs in old heads?