1988 Heads require no porting !
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
1988 Heads require no porting !
I went to the shop yesterday where my L98 engine is being rebuilt. I brought with me my Edlebrock 3860 intake manifold. The thing had to be gasket matched and ported. I was surprised that a $400+ manifold needed any additional work. Whatever. I told the shop to gasket match the heads. So I get there and hand him the 3860. He looked it over and gave me the thumbs on the work. He says let me show you your heads. He held up the gasket to the holes. Im thinking he had already gasket matched them ? He said this is stock buddy I haven't done a thing to these heads. Very nice surprise and saved me a couple hundred bucks !!!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
The shop dipped every engine in part in acid and cleaned the aluminum to a new shine polish. I could hardly recognize that they were my heads. Anyway other than gasket match and a new shine what needs to be done ?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Anyway other than gasket match and a new shine what needs to be done ?
Most of it is done in the bowls/short turn which youll see once you pop the valves out
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 7
From: Chewelah Wa
The manifold is fitted for your stock heads and port size. "1204" gasket size. Kudos to Edelbrock for getting that right. If you had larger runner heads, you would have a 1205 port, and would have to grind for a port match and the rest of the manifold runner, if so inclined. next size up is a 1206 port. Not sure if the high flo can go that far. I will be porting mine to fit my Edelbrock RPM heads, which have the 1205 port.
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 7
From: Chewelah Wa
I didn't think so either, that is why I made sure I got a 1205 port head. The inlet side on my manifold is max ported, already. Not to hijack the thread, but where is the improvement to be made on a RPM head?
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
All I have done is put the Edelbrock 3860 now gasket matched. It was pathetic before doing the work. I was embarrassed when I put the Fel pro gasket up to the manifold. Anyway same with the SLP runners ported about a pound of aluminum out of them ! Also gasket matched the plenum. In the motor side of things roller rocker arms and tips. Comp cam 8-501-08 which I can't FIND ONE PERSON ANYWHERE who has this cam in their TPI motor NOT ONE. Disappointed in that too. Put a post up and not one response. Reduced pulley set. Hypertech coil, 24lb Bosch injectors adjustable fuel pressure regulator. Long tube ceramic coated headers. I am only looking for 300-310HP at the crank. Honestly if you want more HP buy a newer Corvette. My dumb *** got upside down in this car so I said **** it rather than lose every penny I dumped into this car. I will drive it for years. Next Corvette will be a 2003 C5 since newer is out of my income range. Besides if I can get 160-165mph out of this car then all will be worth it. I am hoping all the mods will compliment each other and feed the new cam enough air.
Last edited by C4in mesa; Jan 11, 2013 at 07:31 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
Some porting after all on the heads
I went to the shop yesterday and the idea was to pay for my engine and leave with it. Sadly my total is $3600. I had paid $3000 so the balance due is $600. I only had $380 in my wallet. Several reasons for this situation. Looking at old replies in this thread there was mention that my guide plates would not work. This turned out to be true. The stock guide plates were never designed for keeping a non aligning rocker in place. I had to replace them and the push rods. Matching metal. I ended up letting the guy port m heads a little bit after all. Nothing major or way past the gasket match on the air intake side but the exhaust ports. The exhaust ports could only be opened up a bit and not gasket matched. The shop owner said the heads are designed a specific way and it would disrupt that. But he did open them up some. I would post pics with my quote but I can't seem to navigate this site ? Typically the picture option is simple you click and it goes to my computers pics click and go. I will pick the engine up Friday after work.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,564
Likes: 110
From: Austin Texas
I went to the shop yesterday and the idea was to pay for my engine and leave with it. Sadly my total is $3600. I had paid $3000 so the balance due is $600. I only had $380 in my wallet. Several reasons for this situation. Looking at old replies in this thread there was mention that my guide plates would not work. This turned out to be true. The stock guide plates were never designed for keeping a non aligning rocker in place. I had to replace them and the push rods. Matching metal. I ended up letting the guy port m heads a little bit after all. Nothing major or way past the gasket match on the air intake side but the exhaust ports. The exhaust ports could only be opened up a bit and not gasket matched. The shop owner said the heads are designed a specific way and it would disrupt that. But he did open them up some. I would post pics with my quote but I can't seem to navigate this site ? Typically the picture option is simple you click and it goes to my computers pics click and go. I will pick the engine up Friday after work.
When you select the picture icon in a post...it is asking for a URL...and unless your PC is on ALL the time and observable from the web, pictures will not be seen by the rest of us. You must link to the location on the host server where that picture resides.
Photobucket has a nice way to do it...you can copy the link to paste into the pop-up clicking on the picture icon in the post reply, or just copy the image link and paste it in here.
It'll look something like [IMG]h##p://www.photobucket.com/your_account/your_album/picture1.jpg[/IMG]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Spend those extra bucks you saved on a set of long tube headers/exhaust to really free up some HP out of that stock choked setup.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
heads werent designed to do more 
They can sounds like for whatever reason wasnt worth it to him?
Few of use responded...that cam will work just fine
If you could do without those heads for awhileI could do something for you"on time" to work with ya. For now put it together it will run plenty stronger than before watch.
They can sounds like for whatever reason wasnt worth it to him?
Put a post up and not one response
If you could do without those heads for awhileI could do something for you"on time" to work with ya. For now put it together it will run plenty stronger than before watch.
Last edited by cv67; Jan 31, 2013 at 01:37 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
I bought long tube headers about 4 months age maybe 5 ? It was one of the first things I did in this build project. I am taking it to Apache Muffler in Mesa AZ. They quoted me $600 for true duel exhaust no 3rd cat and Flowmaster cats and mufflers. Said they will hook up the O2 sensor and EGR from the Hedman headers. I expect a nice sound and 20-25HP gain.