PORTING LS1 HEADS???
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
PORTING LS1 HEADS???
Has anyone on the forum ported their own heads? If so how difficult was it and did it produce the results that you expected.
Does anybody have any digital pictures of a ported intake port and exhaust port as compared to stock that they could post?
Are there any areas in a stock intake manifold that would benifit from a little bit of plastic removal?
Im thinking about trying to improve my stock 98 heads by doing some porting.
Thanks
Bill
Does anybody have any digital pictures of a ported intake port and exhaust port as compared to stock that they could post?
Are there any areas in a stock intake manifold that would benifit from a little bit of plastic removal?
Im thinking about trying to improve my stock 98 heads by doing some porting.
Thanks
Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,294
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From: Coral Springs Florida
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
I also had the idea to port my heads but after speaking with Wade Stevens from Agostino Racing Engines I let the professionals do what they do best..Perhaps this video will give you some insight to what's necessary to port the heads..
GO TO MY video library and right click ARE Heads..
http://www.badazcorvettes.com/~vstella/video/
[Modified by vstella, 1:21 PM 1/5/2003]
GO TO MY video library and right click ARE Heads..
http://www.badazcorvettes.com/~vstella/video/
[Modified by vstella, 1:21 PM 1/5/2003]
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Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (vstella)
Unless you have experience, I would not try to port your own heads. All you will end up is with a large paperweight :)
Instructor
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From: Gainesville Va
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
Bill ther is a good article by Mondello in an engine builders magazine I will try to find it copy and send to you . I did my own heads Ive been porting cylinder heads using flow benches for 10 years . Dont be afraid to do your own every one is stuck on cnc heads thats nice if you have $1500 dollars to spend . If you just blend the bowls remove rocker arm stand area into port that will leave holes use sealer on bolts or epoxy holes raise exhaust tear drop both valve guides that is huge alone . And search for an article by Pat Musi in one of the street car shoot out magazines he goes into modifying the ls1 head Also ck out some of the companies web sites good upclose pictures . Any ques. email me hplum@erols.com DONT GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE
Thread Starter
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (David Plum)
Dave
Someone on the LS1 site stated that there was going to be a manual released sometime in April about performance mods for the LS1 & LS6. Ill be first in line to get it. They said it contains detailed instructions on porting LS1 Heads. :thumbs:
I will get the name of the manual and the publisher and post it here later.
Bill
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 10:10 PM 1/7/2003]
Someone on the LS1 site stated that there was going to be a manual released sometime in April about performance mods for the LS1 & LS6. Ill be first in line to get it. They said it contains detailed instructions on porting LS1 Heads. :thumbs:
I will get the name of the manual and the publisher and post it here later.
Bill
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 10:10 PM 1/7/2003]
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Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (boost2much)
BOOST@MUCH
Nooooooooooo Problem! :thumbs: I'm going searching for it soon.. I'll be grinding and port matching right along with ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool: :cool: :cool: :cheers:
Bill C
Nooooooooooo Problem! :thumbs: I'm going searching for it soon.. I'll be grinding and port matching right along with ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool: :cool: :cool: :cheers:
Bill C
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From: Houston, TX
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
While I can appreciate the DIY spirit...head porting is not a DIY project if you are truly looking for results. I have been in the race engine game for 15 years and still don't know all there is to know about porting, and every time a new style of head hits production..its back to the drawing board.
I can tell you that the product of your labor in your garage with a Dremel tool is no where near what I can supply you with. I have spent the money to get the combo right (in terms of seats, port shaping, etc.) so why experiment. Buy the best and move on to your next mod.
I can tell you that the product of your labor in your garage with a Dremel tool is no where near what I can supply you with. I have spent the money to get the combo right (in terms of seats, port shaping, etc.) so why experiment. Buy the best and move on to your next mod.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Sausalito CA
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
Hello Bill and all,
Thanks for opening this topic.
House of Speed is more than likely right.
If I may, for a DIY, what do we all think about matching the intake ports to the gasket? Having not seen how the intake maniold matches the head, can we take away some plastic and aluminum and not get into trouble...assuming due care?
Can this matching be done with sandpaper or is the head aluminum to strong and will need a dremil (sp) tool? What about the composit plastic density?
Anyway, I would like to DIY a sandpaper port and polish to the intake side because I do not think I will get in trouble here.
The exhaust side...I do not know...I have headers and the header gaskets do not cleanly match the heads exhaust port.
Comments please.
Thanks for opening this topic.
House of Speed is more than likely right.
If I may, for a DIY, what do we all think about matching the intake ports to the gasket? Having not seen how the intake maniold matches the head, can we take away some plastic and aluminum and not get into trouble...assuming due care?
Can this matching be done with sandpaper or is the head aluminum to strong and will need a dremil (sp) tool? What about the composit plastic density?
Anyway, I would like to DIY a sandpaper port and polish to the intake side because I do not think I will get in trouble here.
The exhaust side...I do not know...I have headers and the header gaskets do not cleanly match the heads exhaust port.
Comments please.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 217
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From: Gainesville Va
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
Bill I found the article go to http://www.engine-builder.com look at dec 2001 article can you make your vette faster I think was title ck it out.
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From: Anthony TX
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St. Jude Donor '08
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (David Plum)
Dave
I found it.., Its called "Can a Corvette perform even better? You bet it can!, Joe Mondello, Engine Builder, December 2001" at this web site,, http://www.engine-builder.com/ Thanks
Bill
I found it.., Its called "Can a Corvette perform even better? You bet it can!, Joe Mondello, Engine Builder, December 2001" at this web site,, http://www.engine-builder.com/ Thanks
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Gilbert, AZ, USA
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (houseofspeed)
head porting is not a DIY project if you are truly looking for results
However, if the results we're wanting is to simply gain some power for cheaper than the $1500 a set of CNC'd heads cost, then to spend $50 on some tools and some hours of our own free time is even better bang for the buck than a "performance" intake. Unless we go past the popular porting areas and dumbly try to really hog out a lot of material, chances are very slim that we'll hurt anything or LOSE power.
Sam
BTW, direct link to the article is here: http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/eb120118.htm
[Modified by Sam Lin, 7:46 PM 1/9/2003]
Thread Starter
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From: Anthony TX
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St. Jude Donor '08
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Mordenkanen)
Sam
Man,,, your singing the same tune that I was thinking.. All I want to do is some blending and some minor reshaping. I will increase my flow and performance and save bucks for other things.
I have 4 vetts to keep going and droping $1500-2000 on a set of heads is out of the game plan. I'm not out to set land speed records. All that I want to do is improve what I already have.
Bill C :cheers:
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 9:42 PM 1/9/2003]
Man,,, your singing the same tune that I was thinking.. All I want to do is some blending and some minor reshaping. I will increase my flow and performance and save bucks for other things.
I have 4 vetts to keep going and droping $1500-2000 on a set of heads is out of the game plan. I'm not out to set land speed records. All that I want to do is improve what I already have.
Bill C :cheers:
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 9:42 PM 1/9/2003]
Instructor
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From: Houston, TX
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Sam Lin)
Sam...I appreciate your comments, but you would be surprised what "eyeball" porting will do to the performance of the head. Not saying that everyone can afford a "tuner" set of heads...but likewise, don't hurt your cause by assuming that the DIY'er can't hurt his/her potential with several swift strokes of the grinder.
Good luck to all.
Good luck to all.
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: PORTING LS1 HEADS??? (Bill Curlee)
Hello all:
Well I found a few books that may shed some light on how to port your own LS1 or LS6 heads.
They are: How to Build & Modify Chevrolet Small-Block V-8 Cylinder Heads (Powerpro Series) and Chevy Ls1/Ls6 Performance by Chris Endres. $13.27
Both of these books can be found on Amazon.com. I already have them on order!!!
Bill Curlee
:thumbs:
Well I found a few books that may shed some light on how to port your own LS1 or LS6 heads.
They are: How to Build & Modify Chevrolet Small-Block V-8 Cylinder Heads (Powerpro Series) and Chevy Ls1/Ls6 Performance by Chris Endres. $13.27
Both of these books can be found on Amazon.com. I already have them on order!!!
Bill Curlee
:thumbs:
