I bought some heads from AVP a few years ago. One seeped coolant from
around the intake manifolds (was real hard to pin down - the leak was
under the tube and only happened when the van was warm). They wouldn't
honor their warrantee at all for this. I also had one of their
helicoiled
exhaust stud hole split (the upper one on the port which only has like
an 1/8" of aliminium over it anyway) down the axis of the bolt. There
happened to have been what I thought was a paint drip down this same
exact line when I bought the head. And yes, I used a torque when
installing the bolt. AVP wanted me to ship the head at my cost back
to them, and then they would decide if I would get a new head. They
would in any case, not give me/sell meat cost a new head gasket set
for either head.

Now, AVP has also been really helpful. They have located other engine
internals for me when I was rebuilding my engine. And they have sold
countless rebuilt heads with no complaints. I happened to go to the
shop and got the only two heads they had in stock, and it looks like
I got unlucky... As for their warrantees, they are pretty much
worthless unless you can somehow prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that
nothing was done wrong with your part since it left their shop which
includes proving that you drive the van 'correctly' it seems...

dave