First time porting a head:)

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First time porting a head:)

February 29, 2012, 07:03:03 PM

Well I decided to start doin something with all the I have laying around the shop. I just stripped a set of heads and now I am ready for the porting after they come out of my buddy's hot tank. Some of the valve guides need work, probably getting that done after porting and polishing. This is new to me, so I will try and take some pics and see if I can clean up those pesky smog humps;)

First time porting a head:)

Reply #1 – February 29, 2012, 07:04:06 PM

I will be using some steel rasps and finishing up the polishing with my foredom.

First time porting a head:)

Reply #2 – February 29, 2012, 07:41:00 PM

aluminum or iron heads? be careful if they're aluminum, it's easy to get carried away lol

First time porting a head:)

Reply #3 – February 29, 2012, 09:09:11 PM

Just stock iron heads. Yeah, I am familiar with porting aluminum, I ported chainsaws and dirt bikes on the side. This will be the first car head I port. I have an idea what to do, just gotta do it now. Do you know if HSS rasps work well on iron, or do I need carbide rasps?

First time porting a head:)

Reply #4 – February 29, 2012, 09:19:28 PM

no clue, i've always used carbide and stones.. and cheap harbor freight bits, too lol

First time porting a head:)

Reply #5 – March 01, 2012, 01:19:23 AM

I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread, I want to try porting my E7s before they go on the engine I'm building.

First time porting a head:)

Reply #6 – March 01, 2012, 01:54:42 AM

what do you need to know? i can give you a few quick tips.. here are a few to get you started

- using an intake gasket, mark the area the gasket doesn't cover.. then take your bits and open the head up to that diameter.. DON'T just open up the end, this will create a balloon effect which will not help you.. go in as far as you can reach and open it up evenly, to ensure flow consistency.. once you think you're done, check your work by matching the gasket back up to the head.. if all is good and well, continue to the next step

- with the valves removed, round off any shaft edges inside and remove any casting slag (you'll know what i'm talking about as soon as you see it).. something i learned from modello tech (i took a 2 week head-work class) is to take a good deal of material off the casting around the valve guide, like my extra py picture below LOL.. aside from that, just finish the posting you started from the intake side.. try to keep it consistent from intake runner to intake runner.. the better matched they are, the better the outcome of your time spent..

- the exhaust ports, aaah yes.. super sucky job, but knock down the EGR humps.. everyone here will agree, that is practically a must to get some decent power out of E7's.. but first, follow the very first step you did with the intake side.. trace the gasket to get your borderline. from then on, follow the steps listed above and you should be in pretty good shape..

- after that, take a white polishing stone to remove some of the roughness.. then i like to take a piece of 120 sand paper and run it inside the ports to knock it down a bit more.. do NOT go haywire and make the ports smooth like a baby's butt.. leaving a little roughness behind helps with fuel atomization

NOTE: this is NOT going to be a HUGE increase on performance, but it should be noticeable (especially with the exhaust port work).. something else i like to do is take a wire wheel on a grinder and spend a minute or so on the combustion chambers.. it helps remove some of the 'wrinkle casting' that usually gives the carbon deposits something to cling to

so much for 'quick tips' LOL

First time porting a head:)

Reply #7 – March 01, 2012, 03:44:27 AM

Awesome, thanks. That's good info, I can't wait for my next day off. I want to really dig deep into this engine, really build it right. Don't want to hijack this thread though. :D

First time porting a head:)

Reply #8 – March 01, 2012, 09:18:23 PM

Well, I got started on one exhaust port today, progress is remarkably slow! 50 min and almost got 1 smog hump removed. Am I supposed to fill these holes with JB Weld?? I am also thinking I have the wrong rasps for the job. Seems like they are not even touching the steel a drill bit would be faster.

First time porting a head:)

Reply #9 – March 01, 2012, 09:43:14 PM

are you using a drill or dremel?

First time porting a head:)

Reply #10 – March 01, 2012, 10:10:17 PM

Air powered die grinder, dremels aren't powerful enough for my liking. I switch over to a CC Specialty Foredom tool for finishing work, like a dremel on steroids. I am sure the burrs I am using are not cut out for the job!

Shadow,

Do you fill in the smog hump holes with anything?

First time porting a head:)

Reply #11 – March 01, 2012, 10:10:19 PM

Hopefully a die grinder, or something air powered, lol.

I've done some metal polishing with a dremel, and while that wasn't so bad...I couldn't imagine dying of old age before a drill got done with what he's doing...

First time porting a head:)

Reply #12 – March 01, 2012, 10:24:07 PM

it was a question that had to be asked lol i've never messed with E7's.. someone else would have to clue you in on filling the holes in.. i'd imagine you should fill them in, but don't know if JB weld is what people use

First time porting a head:)

Reply #13 – March 01, 2012, 10:51:54 PM

I don't think a drill, dremel, or electric die grinder would last for more than 5 minutes with this job. Maybe I will try and weld the smog holes shut! I don't think it would be too risky to try jb weld as this is the exhaust and even it falls out, it's not going through the engine. I have usually always just bolted a set of aluminum heads on and called it good, I can't afford to buy aluminum heads for my fleet of cars and I plan on thinning the herd once some of em get back to running. I have to say just looking down the exhaust port there is a huge difference already and the smog hump still isn't completely gone!

First time porting a head:)

Reply #14 – March 02, 2012, 12:25:31 PM

i'd imagine the smog humps are going to be the hardest part lol plasma cutter! LOL i don't think the head would like that very much lmao