Anyone ever ported their own heads?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,577
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From: Southern Maryland Maryland
Anyone ever ported their own heads?
Has anyone ported an LS1 or LS6 head? What kind of results did you see? I am thinking about buying a set of LS6 head and porting them myself. Just a simple gasket match on the intake and exhaust side, clean up the bowls, smooth out the runners, add some larger valves. Any thoughts? :D a
Phillip
Phillip
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,773
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From: Norman Oklahoma
Re: Anyone ever ported their own heads? (Phil97SVT)
That would be some costly experimentation. There is a lot more to porting than just grinding off metal. I wouldn't try it unless you know what you are doing :smash:
Jerry
Jerry
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Knoxville TN
Re: Anyone ever ported their own heads? (99 Corvette)
Don't let the naysayers scare you off....if you have had any experience porting heads before, I say go for it. but be prepared to spend lots of quality time with your die grinder and bit of choice.myself and a friend of mine ported my heads and they work well.I will get some dyno numbers as soon as possible. a solid 90% of your work will be in the bowl area.the runners are pretty good as is,a little smoothing of some rough edges will help.as for larger valves,you really can tell no difference between 2.00's and 2.02's with the naked eye...not even with them held disc against disc. I saw nothing wrong with the stock valves,we added another angle on the backcut and reinstalled them.SLP makes a trick cromoly retainer that fits a 1.25 dia chevy valve spring for $39. I used them with a set of sb chevy stock diameter 600 lift racing springs.my heads work well and I didn't pay the corvette surcharge to a tuner.On the other hand if you have no real experience with a die grinder and a carbide,check out the ported heads that Andy sells at A&A corvette specialties...a good set of heads for a great price!
the best way to keep it real is to do it yourself
Tom
[Modified by SR71, 10:29 PM 5/13/2002]
the best way to keep it real is to do it yourself
Tom
[Modified by SR71, 10:29 PM 5/13/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Burlington ON
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Re: Anyone ever ported their own heads? (SR71)
I wouldnt really attempt it unless you had access to a flow bench to keep checking your results and to make sure all the ports flow the same.. Also, I would start with an LS1 casting that is only worth a small portion of what a LS6 casting is worth.
For all you would save, it might just be worth picking up a set of a tuner's budget heads such as Agostino Racing's Street Eliminator Heads which are only $1650 with a camshaft and pushrods.. Around the same price as a set of LS6 castings.
For all you would save, it might just be worth picking up a set of a tuner's budget heads such as Agostino Racing's Street Eliminator Heads which are only $1650 with a camshaft and pushrods.. Around the same price as a set of LS6 castings.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,017
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From: central FL, near the beach.
Re: Anyone ever ported their own heads? (MattG)
i have a flow bench and it is not needed for basic porting.
It is needed if you want to sell your work, as proof.
I intend to do LS1 heads when i get a new vette, but i won't bother with checking on my flow bench.
You better get good photos, before and after examples to copy, i know i will.
It is needed if you want to sell your work, as proof.
I intend to do LS1 heads when i get a new vette, but i won't bother with checking on my flow bench.
You better get good photos, before and after examples to copy, i know i will.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,577
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From: Southern Maryland Maryland
Re: Anyone ever ported their own heads? (drives61)
The only reason I want to try and port a set of LS6 heads is because I ported the cylinder head on my 97 Eclipse GSX and picked up 7mph(109mph->116mph). :eek: The porting wasnt extensive just gasket match, smoothed everything from the runners to the bowls, knifeedged the dividers, cleaned up the combustion chamber, and cut the guides. I guess I am not really in need of that last 5% of performance that you might gain by going with a set of heads from a vendor. Who knows maybe I'll stumble on a set of cheap LS6 heads and work my magic. :crazy:
