I check mine too on the engine stand without a head gasket just to make sure. Mine were brand new and at a giveaway price from a buddy but still not a cheap or easy combo. I hade porting time in them to get them up over 300, time porting the Victor intake, one set of Crane rockers and one set of Mopar Performance. I didn’t even change out the 3/8 (2.02) valves thank God because of what I read about them
Being crack prone.