How is my porting skills? Too big or Just right?

like posted on another board

how does anyone have any idea if they are making progress without a way to measure? I have had to correct dozens of aluminums heads from clients who did their own, worse than when they started

83Mustang427TT said:

I am using a dial caliper to measure it and verify how large the ports are

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got nothing to do with it, if it was that easy everyone would be a head porter. What about the bowls, what about the roof, what about the short turn radius. Caliper aint doin ya any good bud

I did my gt40 irons. 1250 intake matched and smooth port to chamber. Did the short side radius smoothing the chamber walls flowing to the port. Reshaped the valve guide boss. 1415 exhaust gasket match, reshaped port roof and removed smog bump. Reshaped chamber and valve guide boss. I got 302 whp untuned, not bad. But, I wouldn't call it cheap. Porting kit cost me 80.00 carbide bits cost me 45.00. Cleaning and machine work for 5 angle valve job cost 310.00. Plus the heads cost me 250.00 Total 685.00. I could of bought a set of Thumper ported heads for that price and be right around the same power numbers. Not to mention all the time the car sat there while I was porting and waiting for the machine work. Would of had a better spring package also. I got lucky with my home port job. I didn't use any calipers, bore dials or anything but my eye and touch.

Though I understand what the others are saying, I think it's great that you had the sand to give it a shot!

Flow data before and after would be the "tell all" on how you actually did.

Gotta start somewhere right?

sbftech said:

got nothing to do with it, if it was that easy everyone would be a head porter. What about the bowls, what about the roof, what about the short turn radius. Caliper aint doin ya any good bud

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I have to agree with Daggar here.

87Mustang427TT (and other who have ported their own heads) have shown that they can dig into a project and learn as they go.

sbftech - I have seen some of your other posts, and I believe you know what you are talking about.
However, this forum is about exchanging ideas, knowledge, and skills. :SNSign:
I hope I haven't pissed you off, as I think you have a great deal to offer in this discussion.

As someone who has done some porting, what would recommend?
What are the typical mistakes made by noobs?
Do you know of any resources for those of us willing to do some reading?
Online or otherwise?
How did you learn to port?

I am looking forward to trying my hand at home porting, so I am very curious what you have to say.

I have heard of people fabricating their own flowbench.

Anyone have any info on how to do this?

jason

vristang said:

I have to agree with Daggar here.

87Mustang427TT (and other who have ported their own heads) have shown that they can dig into a project and learn as they go.

sbftech - I have seen some of your other posts, and I believe you know what you are talking about.
However, this forum is about exchanging ideas, knowledge, and skills. :SNSign:
I hope I haven't pissed you off, as I think you have a great deal to offer in this discussion.

As someone who has done some porting, what would recommend?
What are the typical mistakes made by noobs?
Do you know of any resources for those of us willing to do some reading?
Online or otherwise?
How did you learn to port?

I am looking forward to trying my hand at home porting, so I am very curious what you have to say.

Click to expand...

nah i aint mad, i just have had my share of clients that send me their home ported aluminum heads and are worse than when they started. Have to weld u some areas and start over, they dont like the bill I send them

vristang said:

I have heard of people fabricating their own flowbench.

Anyone have any info on how to do this?

jason

Click to expand...

about 1000 dollars for a repeatable one, less for one that is not consistent

I did mine the old fashion way. I read everything I could on the subject. Yes, I even went onto the bowtie sites and studied what worked and what didn't work. I came to realize that for the gains I want and the amount of work I'd have to put into it. I would of been better off paying someone who has done it for a living. Not to discourage anyone looking to do it or looking to make a little money on the side doing it. Because I am currently porting my Edelbrock RPM's at this moment. I would suggest to someone who is first starting this type of project to go to the local speed shops and look at their ported heads. Also, while your there look at the aluminum ones to see how the chambers and ports differ. Then do many searches on porting heads. Many websites out there, most will charge you for info such as Fordmuscle. Well worth it though. Also, 460thumper (I think that's right) often leaves pics in the classified. study those also they'll help with the stock irons. I found most people looking for street heads that are cheap and better than stock will use the method I did. Gasket match, port smoothing, short side radius trimming, smog boss removal, valve guide reshaping and blending the chamber walls into the port. I also went out and bought the standard abrasives delux porting kit and video. My suggestions are take your time, go slow when working on the short side and chamber walls. You don't want the burr to bite and scratch the valve seat. Listen to the sounds the burr is making. I could always hear when the walls were getting thin. The pitch of the bit will change slightly. Wear a mask and safety glasses. I seen a friend of mine port some heads without a painters mask. He had a bloody nose for a few days and was sneezing out metal shavings. Buy the good carbide burrs and invest in a good laser level for squaring off the ports. Mines magnetic and worked great on the iron heads.

Here's some sites
http://popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/hardcore/0602em_cylinder_head_porting/
http://www.sa-motorsports.com/diyport.shtm
http://www.armstrong.edu/ron/auto/e7.html
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/95518/
http://www.diyporting.com/ - Has "build your own Flowbench" article
http://www.fordmuscle.com/TechDepartment/heads.php
http://www.workmonster.com/
Lots of others out there to!