I plan to rehab the heads on my 2.8

Thinking about ordering a pair of heads from A.R.I.
http://www.engine-parts.com/GMV6/gmv6heads.html

Anyone have any experience with these folks?

 

aren't the 3.1/ 3.4 just stroked 2.8s? using the 3.1 crank and rods. not sure how much better than the stock heads that will do.

 

I'm not in the market for the shortblock assembly.

Just the heads.

A turnkey set of heads will really speed the job up for me. All the existing exhaust studs are way past salvage or re-use. Not interested in fighting the remnants of each one out of the heads when they break during the job. Plus the benefits of having all the valve work done. Planning to install new exhaust in the process.

I already have a crazy-fast car. Just want to bump this one up from clunker to reliable driver.

Only 87k on the existing 2.8 shortblock. Figure it's good for a while.

 

Yes, I ordered my shortblock 3.4 from them. They sent me a car'b block from an 82-84 , so I had to create a mechanical oil pump block off plate. They also sent me a FWD flexplate. Other than those two errors, i'm happy with my engine. When you call, Dave answers the phone, he has very bad hearing and a very bad memory. He stated to me he was getting too old to do this much longer, and that was two years ago. So good luck. But that's my experience.

 

I see.

That gives me something to think about.

Significant motor work on mine is at least 12 months out.

 

All gen1 heads from '86 (IIRC) up are the same. Previous to that they were known as the "H.O' heads" that would come on the Citation X11 and a couple other "sportier models" of cars. So if your 2.8 is '86 or newer there be be a net gain of zero. Even replacing the smaller valved heads with later heads doesn't give any appreciable difference in power, though it won't hurt anything to use newer heads that will likely be easier to find anyway.

So for convenience, getting a set of already done heads is a good choice, but the 3.4 heads are no better than the 3.1 and later 2.8 heads.

I haven't dealt with ARI personally, but I hear/read more negative about them than positive. *shrug*