GFCmgb71

Hello all, just bought a set of used but great condition 04 ls6 heads with about 20k on them. i have awhile until they'll be installed and i was wondering if there was anything wrong with taking a dremel lightly to them to polish them up a bit and maybe help a little with the flow. i don't have the $$ to have them ported and polished so i figure at least i could maybe do this and clean them up a bit in the process...any opinions? i know i have seen some posts where forum members have done this...
Thanks!

Gideon's_Test

I'd reccommend removing flashing/casting ridges wherever they can be reached...Polishing of ports is only reccommended for the exhaust side...

Eric D

Just random grinding on the inside walls of the ports can actually decrease their flow capacity. About the only thing I would attempt without the use of a flow bench is matching the ports to the intake and exhaust manifolds. To do this you can use a gasket for the template. Blend the port to match the inside dimensions of the gasket to eliminate any difference in the port intake to head and head to exhaust.

You can always buff the outside of the heads to improve the overall look of them if you have the time and desire.

GFCmgb71

thanks for the info! additionally, anything i can can do to clean up the combustion chambers and valves while they're apart when im changing out the springs etc...?

Eric D

For home, just about any of the auto parts stores degreaser safe for aluminum will do the job. A 3m scotch bright pad works well to remove hard deposits. Just be sure to protect the head gasket, intake, and exhaust port surfaces area from scratches. Flush everything well to remove all the degreaser. DO NOT use steel wool on any of it.

bstone1989

i wouldnt mess with it yourself.. leave it be or let a pro do it

95BlueBomber

PM me your email and I will send a reference guide to porting to you. It has a lot of useful information in it.

Bill Curlee

I purchased a set of Patriot Performance stage II heads.
There basically reworked and ported 243 heads. They are already ported.

While they were off the engine, I took a die grinder and de-burred the outside of the heads. If you feel around the spark plug ports you will see that the OEM machining process leaves sharp ridges. There are also some casting ridges on the heads that can be smoothed out.

There are some areas where the oil drains back inside the bolt hole areas under the rockers that had flash casting and roughness. Took a couple of hours and cleaned everything up real nice.

Porting an LS head is an art but, if you just want to smooth out any obvious port casting issues, that wont hurt anything.

There’s NO intake manifold gasket to port match to. The intake manifold uses O rings to seal between the intake and heads.
I have in the past used the discoloration area between the O ring and intake opening to port match. It worked. Just don’t get crazy.

The Exhaust ports use a gasket to seal between the head and manifold and you can port match to that gasket. Just make sure that the exhaust manifold or header is also opened up to match the gasket also.

I would not mess with the combustion chamber.

Corey Browning

Hey I'd like that if your still around.

Bill Curlee

I will be sending you a PM for that guide..

Uhhtaken

Back from the dead but if either one of you has the guide id like to get my hands on it too.