Cylinder head options

[Nez'sRanger]

Hey guys! While I'm a ways off from actually getting started, I plan on rebuilding a spare 2.9 I have and putting some serious performance upgrades into it. Drawing tons of ideas from Petroleum junkie! I know one of the limiting factors will be heads.
I've come across several online that claim to be better than stock. Has anyone put them to the test? Which do you guys prefer? Any options not on my list that you recommend?
Promaxx heads:

FORD 2.9 NEW FULL - PROMAXX Performance Products

ProMaxx Performance developed/designed this cylinder head from the OE casting 86TM. This is a direct bolt on cast iron cylinder head to replace your factory casting. Year: 1989-1992 Models: Bronco II, Ranger Engine Size: 2.9L V6

promaxxperformance.com

King heads:

Ford 2.9 V6 C#86TM Assembled Cylinder Head | King Cylinder Heads

Ford 2.9 V6 Cylinder HeadPart#: K260CONE (1) Complete New Cylinder HeadYear: 1986-1992Models: Bronco II, RangerEngine Size: 2.9L V6Cast #: 86TM

www.kingcylinderheads.com

Performance plus:

https://performanceplusmachine.com/cylinder-heads/ford-29-v6-new-cylinder-head-1986-92-86tm

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I have Promaxx. They aren't bad, just don't get them from J&C in WV.

J&C recycles used valves, springs, etc. into fresh castings and pass them off as quality. They check nothing, regrind everything sloppy AF, and sell it. Amateur work and utter trash.

But, the castings themselves are just fine.

You'll need copper head gaskets if you polish the combustion chambers. The normal MLS gaskets will hang into the chamber if they are polished. I just trimmed my coppers back and ran with it.

I'll see if I can dig up the guy I purchased the coppers from. $50-70 iirc and can be reused ad nauseum.

I drilled my head gasket coolant passages out to 1/4 as well to mitigate cyl 3 and 6 overheating as they are want to do from residues. No results yet, still under assembly.

 

[Nez'sRanger]

I have Promaxx. They aren't bad, just don't get them from J&C in WV.

J&C recycles used valves, springs, etc. into fresh castings and pass them off as quality. They check nothing, regrind everything sloppy AF, and sell it. Amateur work and utter trash.

But, the castings themselves are just fine.

You'll need copper head gaskets if you polish the combustion chambers. The normal MLS gaskets will hang into the chamber if they are polished. I just trimmed my coppers back and ran with it.

I'll see if I can dig up the guy I purchased the coppers from. $50-70 iirc and can be reused ad nauseum.

I drilled my head gasket coolant passages out to 1/4 as well to mitigate cyl 3 and 6 overheating as they are want to do from residues. No results yet, still under assembly.

Awesome! I'll probably opt for the bare heads anyway... I may want to buy the tougher valves. This block is gonna be on the engine stand for a while, so I have time to think about it. I've got morana's custom rockers in sight, as well as good headers and possibly modding the Euro intake onto it (we'll see though, I really like how the stock plenum looks!). Also really interested in megasquirting it...
Your build is definitely an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your finds and progress with us!

When I bought the truck, it's current engine (which was itself a replacement because he cracked the original) had a crack on #6. Definitely curious to see how the hole drilling works out.
Thanks again!

 

[Aaron 13]

Any long term results from the heads? Looking to repleace a cracked head on a full rebuild.

 

[Cees Klumper]

As I posted elsewhere, I bought the ProMaxx heads around 2021 to replace my cracked/coolant leaking originals (on 1990 Bronco II) and while they fixed the coolant leak, and the engine runs very well on them, the valve stem seals started leaking very soon after, so bad that a year ago the truck would no longer pass smog. After it had sat maybe an hour after running, there would be a blue smoke cloud out the tailpipe. When I finally got around to replacing the valve stem seals a few weeks ago, it turned out 4 of them had come off their seats on the head completely, and so were just riding up and down on the valve stems, not doing anything. The seal on the remaining ones was also questionable at best, as their hole diameter at the top was significantly larger than the new Felpro ones I installed. So far, no more smoke and I plan to have it re-smogged in the coming weeks. So, in short, the ProMaxx have worked well and were inexpensive (I think I paid around $550 for the pair!), however not all the parts they came with are good quality.