First try at head porting

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moparmandan

moparmandan

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Rainy day so lots of shop time. Figured I'd give it a try on a spare head. Didn't get to far but it's kinda fun! Just worked on the one on the right. Had a couple of Dewalt triangular stones grabbed a cordless drill and went to it. I'm thinking the bowls will be more difficult.

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It is fun but it's hard to get things uniform between cylinders without a mill. Be careful around the b valve seats!
 
There isn't much power grinding out there. If you are going to do it, grind that nub that hangs down in the port where the valve cover bolt is. Grind through it until it's gone. It will break through but that's ok. It doesn't need to be there.

The power is in the valve job, and both ways from there. Into the port and out to the chamber. Also, the shape of the guide is important.

Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished.
 
yellow rose said:
There isn't much power grinding out there. If you are going to do it, grind that nub that hangs down in the port where the valve cover bolt is. Grind through it until it's gone. It will break through but that's ok. It doesn't need to be there.

The power is in the valve job, and both ways from there. Into the port and out to the chamber. Also, the shape of the guide is important.

Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.
"Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished." Hmmmm hadn't thought about that. Makes sense. Guess I'm kinda worried about a slip screwing up the valve job. Guess slips are not an option in head porting........
 
yellow rose said:
There isn't much power grinding out there. If you are going to do it, grind that nub that hangs down in the port where the valve cover bolt is. Grind through it until it's gone. It will break through but that's ok. It doesn't need to be there.

The power is in the valve job, and both ways from there. Into the port and out to the chamber. Also, the shape of the guide is important.

Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished.
Click to expand...
for the "nub" mentioned above, I put a stud in the v. cover bolt hole w/ blue loctite, first, then grind away.
If you're worried about hitting a finish ground seat, put an old dummy valve in there, first, to protect the v. grind.
 
yellow rose said:
Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished.
Click to expand...

Man this is good advice. I don't do any bowl work until the guides are in and the valve job is roughed in to height (in case you nick something). This will help keep all the bowl work more uniform.
 
stones are ok, but I preferred carbide rotary files. The longer the handle of your grinder tool the more leverage and control you'll have while grinding.
 
moparmandan said:
Would you post a pic or p/n of what you use? Thanks!
Click to expand...


You should also be using 6 inch shank burrs. You need some way to control the speed of the burr when you are using the long burrs. If you can't slow down the grinder, they will helicopter on you and the end result for you and the burr is not good.

I've seen guys using short burrs doing bowl work nick the seat with the part of the grinder that tightens down on the burr (that's a highly technical description because I can't think of the term I want). Plus, the grinder and your hands get in the way with short burrs. I just taught myself to use long burrs for everything any more.
 
Don't give up and I hope you have fun. However, porting cylinder heads correctly is an art. It is better done by treating it like heart surgery, rather than pounding in railroad spikes. Without a flowbench you may make some gains and you may destroy every port you touch, and you'll never know which is which. Some of the first things we try like the pushrod pinch and gasket matching the intake has almost no measurable effect until the throat, bowls and combustion chambers are correct. But don't quit, you just keep giving it your best.
 
yellow rose said:
You should also be using 6 inch shank burrs. You need some way to control the speed of the burr when you are using the long burrs. If you can't slow down the grinder, they will helicopter on you and the end result for you and the burr is not good.

I've seen guys using short burrs doing bowl work nick the seat with the part of the grinder that tightens down on the burr (that's a highly technical description because I can't think of the term I want). Plus, the grinder and your hands get in the way with short burrs. I just taught myself to use long burrs for everything any more.
Click to expand...

Collet nut. I always buy the 6" shanks and cut them to the desired length.

Some of the advice we are giving is more than beginning advice so use what you can and save the rest for the future.
 
IQ52 said:
Collet nut. I always buy the 6" shanks and cut them to the desired length.

Some of the advice we are giving is more than beginning advice so use what you can and save the rest for the future.
Click to expand...


COLLET NUT. Damn I couldn't think of that. Thanks.
 
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You need the right tools for the job or it’s going to just be a buff n shine. When I think back 40 years ago to some of the stuff I did and called it head porting I gotta laugh. It took me a couple of years even after I got a flowbench to understand real head porting and what to do and what NOT to do. I have a foot speed control on my grinder and can slow down or speed up with ease.

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moparmandan said:
Rainy day so lots of shop time. Figured I'd give it a try on a spare head. Didn't get to far but it's kinda fun! Just worked on the one on the right. Had a couple of Dewalt triangular stones grabbed a cordless drill and went to it. I'm thinking the bowls will be more difficult.

View attachment 1715202216 View attachment 1715202217
Click to expand...

Edit the title to "1st try at gasket matching"

No one ever listens... but dont open the push Rod side of the port window to the gasket unless you "have to".
 
IQ52 said:
Don't give up and I hope you have fun. However, porting cylinder heads correctly is an art. It is better done by treating it like heart surgery, rather than pounding in railroad spikes. Without a flowbench you may make some gains and you may destroy every port you touch, and you'll never know which is which. Some of the first things we try like the pushrod pinch and gasket matching the intake has almost no measurable effect until the throat, bowls and combustion chambers are correct. But don't quit, you just keep giving it your best.
Click to expand...
I always read the how to port heads articles in the magazines when I was a kid, and the only thing I remember is how quickly you can screw a head up! I am alot more patient and luckily still have a pretty steady hand. Thanks!
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Edit the title to "1st try at gasket matching"

No one ever listens... but dont open the push Rod side of the port window to the gasket unless you "have to".
Click to expand...
At this point that's probably a more accurate title.
Would you mind explaining a little more? Trying to learn. Thanks.
 
To those of you that have taken years to gain the knowledge you have, thanks for sharing video's and posts!
 
When you say "nub by vc bolt hole", are you talking where pen is pointing in picture? X heads if that matters.
yellow rose said:
There isn't much power grinding out there. If you are going to do it, grind that nub that hangs down in the port where the valve cover bolt is. Grind through it until it's gone. It will break through but that's ok. It doesn't need to be there.

The power is in the valve job, and both ways from there. Into the port and out to the chamber. Also, the shape of the guide is important.

Don't work the bowls until you have established the valve job with a top cut and the chamber is rough finished.
Click to expand...

rustycowll69 said:
for the "nub" mentioned above, I put a stud in the v. cover bolt hole w/ blue loctite, first, then grind away.
If you're worried about hitting a finish ground seat, put an old dummy valve in there, first, to protect the v. grind.
Click to expand...

20180723_223429.jpg
 
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