Porting Your Own Heads

BlackFireN2O · 08-12-2002, 12:18 PM

I was reading How To Build Horsepower by David Vizard, and in the Cylinder Heads section he had suggested that people handy with a hand-grind can do some things themselves. And to anyone who has the book, in the "maximum performance" part of the Cylinder Section, are all of the things he mentions in that part pertaining to performance heads that you have bought or are they stock heads? Has anyone ported their own heads, how did it come out and how long have you been doing this. Any tips? Also should people do their own valve jobs? PLenty Thanks!!!

USMC302 · 08-12-2002, 12:30 PM

I had my uncle do my valve job on a mustang I had in 97. Turned out well, but he is a mechanic too, maybe that had something to do with it. Make sure when you do a valve job you go ahead and get new valves at that time! Good Luck

HORSEMEN RACING · 08-13-2002, 11:40 AM

Like USMC said,either a find a mechanic to do it,or just buy a set of heads,to me it is easier to buy a set of ported heads place out here in Cali called Power Heads does some amazing things with stock heads.

Porting a set of heads is some intense work,it is not something you just say you are going to do without having prior experience.
If you have that experience then go for it,if you have a flow bench,gauges,and the whole 9,like i said it is easier to me to just buy a set of ported heads either stock or aluminum.

BlackFireN2O · 08-13-2002, 01:50 PM

I've been to Standard Abrasive's site and they have a do-it-yourself guide to porting your own heads. The author himself said that it wasn't hard even if you don't have expreience. I thought about buying new heads, but new aluminum heads are about $1200 a pair

.

fiveohpatrol · 08-13-2002, 04:25 PM

those power heads are a waste of money for what you get outta them.

I ported my heads myself. It was the first time I had ever even used a die grinder, so I had NO experience doing it. I just had a friend show me how to do the 1st intake and 1st exhaust port, and I did the rest of them. Took a while, but it was WELL worth it.
Just use a quality grinder, compressor and carbide bits and you'll be all set.

good luck with it

srv1 · 08-13-2002, 05:53 PM

FiveOh is right. i just did my stock E7's. only did the exhaust though. i was told by many who run in the stock eliminator class, to raise the roof of the exhuast, get rid of the bumps and basically square out the exhaust port to make it more uniform. i posted it already in Windsor :
port job

nickj8685 · 08-14-2002, 10:52 AM

srv1, how does your car run with just the exhaust side done? I've been porting my heads and have the exhaust sides done. I was thinking of just leaving it at that.

Coupe Devil · 08-14-2002, 12:01 PM

Porting your own heads can be time consuming and difficult but its worth it after you look at the cose of purchasing a set of heads. I ported my stock heads and could tell a big difference in how it breathed. I ported the Exhaust side only as well but did just a little work in the bowl to help control detonation. I could run any grade gas i wanted to with out it poping and pinging, no matter what he timing was ( reasoanble ) I highly recommend trying it yourself. You'll never learn if you dont.. If nothing else, go to the local junk yard, and tell them you want a JUNK head, that you are goin to try it on. But dont let them sell you a good head for more money. make sure its JUNK before you buy it ..

Bradley

Dark_5.0 · 08-14-2002, 12:36 PM

I have an extra set of E7's That worked fine when I took them off I will sell for 60 bucks if anyone wants them.

BlackFireN2O · 08-14-2002, 01:08 PM

What are some quality 1/4 air die grinders and compressors? For the abrasives i'll go with the Standard Abrasives Deluxe kit but the tools i'm not sure of. And does anyone have a flowbench? Is that rational to have in a garage, how much do they usually cost cause i want one

srv1 · 08-14-2002, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nickj8685
srv1, how does your car run with just the exhaust side done? I've been porting my heads and have the exhaust sides done. I was thinking of just leaving it at that.

dont know yet. just got them back from the machine shop today. i will post how it works.

BlackFire, you dont need a big compressor. i used my Craftsman 5hp 25 gal, a cheap straight air die grinder(Lowe's), Dremel tool with certain bits(hard to desribe them all), and Carbide bits for your die grinder that you can get from Summit or Snap-On. it took me 8 hours to do both heads of the exhaust only. that was my first time doing this. also, gasket match the exhaust. if you look at my pics, you can see where i outlined the exhaust gasket so i would have an idea how much to take out. make sure when you are doing them, to make all of them uniform as best as you can. you dont need a flowbench. use your eyes and take a good look of what will make it flow better. do one head at a time. check out the flow characteristics of the unported head. first remove the "bump". compare it to the unported again. go back and forth and keep doing this. making them equal with each other is your goal. do it by eye, or use vernial(sp?) calipers and go from there. that is the best advice i can give you. anyone who has done this more than me or does this for a living, please be free to step in and let me know if i am doing it wrong myself.

nickj8685 · 08-14-2002, 10:34 PM

Sounds good to me, mine are just about done.

BlackFireN2O · 08-15-2002, 12:51 AM

i checked some online retailers and realized that air compressors are pretty expensive, for a quality one, and was thinking about electric die grinders instead of air grinders? Has anyone used both electric and air grinders, are they the same or is one better than the other? Thanks for all replies!

nickj8685 · 08-15-2002, 10:34 AM

I used a 1/2" drill with a carbide bur to do most of the work then I finished it up with a dremel tool and several sanding rolls.

fiveohpatrol · 08-15-2002, 06:24 PM

Quote:

i checked some online retailers and realized that air compressors are pretty expensive, for a quality one

you could just rent one for a day for under $50

Mach 1 · 08-15-2002, 06:45 PM

I did mine with a cheap ($200.00) 15 gallon, 4.74HP Porter Cable air compressor, a $20.00 die grinder from lowes, and the cylinder head porting kit from http://www.eastwoodco.com/cgi-bin/sg...E=default2.htm

Buy some extra cartridge rolls and some grinders grease. Dont go finer than 80 grit on the intake side, and just concentrate on smoothing out the rough areas and the casting flash. Then take out any ridges, bumps, etc...

I had the metal taste in my mouth that PKRwud was talking about. Get some face masks if you want. And a shop vac. I did aluminum heads, so It was probably easier than steel. I didnt use any carbide bits, just cartridge rools.

Go for it. Oh, and youll need a valve spring compressor

08-12-2002, 12:18 PM	#1
BlackFireN2O Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36	Porting Your Own Heads I was reading How To Build Horsepower by David Vizard, and in the Cylinder Heads section he had suggested that people handy with a hand-grind can do some things themselves. And to anyone who has the book, in the "maximum performance" part of the Cylinder Section, are all of the things he mentions in that part pertaining to performance heads that you have bought or are they stock heads? Has anyone ported their own heads, how did it come out and how long have you been doing this. Any tips? Also should people do their own valve jobs? PLenty Thanks!!!

08-12-2002, 12:30 PM	#2
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Gallatin, Tn Posts: 1,326	I had my uncle do my valve job on a mustang I had in 97. Turned out well, but he is a mechanic too, maybe that had something to do with it. Make sure when you do a valve job you go ahead and get new valves at that time! Good Luck __________________

08-13-2002, 11:40 AM	#3
HORSEMEN RACING Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Camp Pendleton,Cali Posts: 95	Find a Pro Like USMC said,either a find a mechanic to do it,or just buy a set of heads,to me it is easier to buy a set of ported heads place out here in Cali called Power Heads does some amazing things with stock heads. Porting a set of heads is some intense work,it is not something you just say you are going to do without having prior experience. If you have that experience then go for it,if you have a flow bench,gauges,and the whole 9,like i said it is easier to me to just buy a set of ported heads either stock or aluminum. __________________ OC "there are 5,000 Army troops sitting on their butts doing nothing,while 2 companies of Marines are securing this island" spoken by a Army General on the Isle of Grenada in 1983

08-13-2002, 04:25 PM	#5
fiveohpatrol I'd rather be basketweaving Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,551	those power heads are a waste of money for what you get outta them. I ported my heads myself. It was the first time I had ever even used a die grinder, so I had NO experience doing it. I just had a friend show me how to do the 1st intake and 1st exhaust port, and I did the rest of them. Took a while, but it was WELL worth it. Just use a quality grinder, compressor and carbide bits and you'll be all set. good luck with it __________________ NMRA O/C 9516 NA pumpgas stickshift 347 10.65@125.6, 6.73@100, 1.41 60ft

08-13-2002, 05:53 PM	#6
srv1 Get down..... Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Room 103 Posts: 2,095	my first time too.. FiveOh is right. i just did my stock E7's. only did the exhaust though. i was told by many who run in the stock eliminator class, to raise the roof of the exhuast, get rid of the bumps and basically square out the exhaust port to make it more uniform. i posted it already in Windsor : port job

08-13-2002, 01:50 PM	#4
BlackFireN2O Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36	I've been to Standard Abrasive's site and they have a do-it-yourself guide to porting your own heads. The author himself said that it wasn't hard even if you don't have expreience. I thought about buying new heads, but new aluminum heads are about $1200 a pair .

08-14-2002, 10:52 AM	#7
nickj8685 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Russellville MO, where men are men and sheep are scared Posts: 66	srv1, how does your car run with just the exhaust side done? I've been porting my heads and have the exhaust sides done. I was thinking of just leaving it at that.

08-14-2002, 12:01 PM	#8
Coupe Devil Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Myrtle Beach SC Posts: 1,643	Porting your own heads can be time consuming and difficult but its worth it after you look at the cose of purchasing a set of heads. I ported my stock heads and could tell a big difference in how it breathed. I ported the Exhaust side only as well but did just a little work in the bowl to help control detonation. I could run any grade gas i wanted to with out it poping and pinging, no matter what he timing was ( reasoanble ) I highly recommend trying it yourself. You'll never learn if you dont.. If nothing else, go to the local junk yard, and tell them you want a JUNK head, that you are goin to try it on. But dont let them sell you a good head for more money. make sure its JUNK before you buy it .. Bradley __________________ 1990 GT, 347, TFS TW Heads, TFS Cam, TFS Track heat, Twin turbos, FMIC, T5. Built Ford Tough Moderator

08-14-2002, 12:36 PM	#9
Dark_5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Staging lane Posts: 4,337	I have an extra set of E7's That worked fine when I took them off I will sell for 60 bucks if anyone wants them. __________________ 92' LX-Big brakes, Lots and lots of suspension, GT40X heads, Ported cobra intake, stock cam, Vortech SC trim. 00' Lightning-Stock 88'CRX-13 second ego killer

08-14-2002, 01:08 PM	#10
BlackFireN2O Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36	What are some quality 1/4 air die grinders and compressors? For the abrasives i'll go with the Standard Abrasives Deluxe kit but the tools i'm not sure of. And does anyone have a flowbench? Is that rational to have in a garage, how much do they usually cost cause i want one

08-14-2002, 10:34 PM	#12
nickj8685 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Russellville MO, where men are men and sheep are scared Posts: 66	Sounds good to me, mine are just about done.

08-15-2002, 12:51 AM	#13
BlackFireN2O Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36	i checked some online retailers and realized that air compressors are pretty expensive, for a quality one, and was thinking about electric die grinders instead of air grinders? Has anyone used both electric and air grinders, are they the same or is one better than the other? Thanks for all replies!

08-15-2002, 10:34 AM	#14
nickj8685 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Russellville MO, where men are men and sheep are scared Posts: 66	I used a 1/2" drill with a carbide bur to do most of the work then I finished it up with a dremel tool and several sanding rolls.

08-15-2002, 06:45 PM	#16
Mach 1 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,866	I did mine with a cheap ($200.00) 15 gallon, 4.74HP Porter Cable air compressor, a $20.00 die grinder from lowes, and the cylinder head porting kit from http://www.eastwoodco.com/cgi-bin/sg...E=default2.htm Buy some extra cartridge rolls and some grinders grease. Dont go finer than 80 grit on the intake side, and just concentrate on smoothing out the rough areas and the casting flash. Then take out any ridges, bumps, etc... I had the metal taste in my mouth that PKRwud was talking about. Get some face masks if you want. And a shop vac. I did aluminum heads, so It was probably easier than steel. I didnt use any carbide bits, just cartridge rools. Go for it. Oh, and youll need a valve spring compressor __________________ 2002 GT 1993 GT (SOLD) '93 Mustang GT RHC member #142

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