Speedmaster Small block porting tips and results Part 1

[j par]

And for the mild build we already know they are better than the x and J heads. Correct me if I'm wrong but a back cut on the valve, a little smoothing or an extra angle into the bowl and a gasket match would improve these heads a bit.

I can't remember his initials but it's the PHR?? The Machine Shop guy.. said it earlier I believe in this thread just a good valve job and a little touching up the obvious casting goobers.. and you should be good to go... For a mild performance bump...

 

[PRH]

John....... what did you use as a template to scribe the outline around the chambers?
Gasket?
Set the head on a block?

 

[TurboGLH]

Heading to Church soon then wings and Steeler football. Maybe later or after I get my fat butt to the gym tomorrow.

I didn't see, or maybe I missed, do you plan to do anything with larger valves? That's where it was decided to draw the line after talking with @PRH, but I'm curious about the results even if it's not a path I'm following.

I'm curious about the difference in flow quality on a larger valve in the stock/unshrounded chamber.

 

[Cudafever]

John....... what did you use as a template to scribe the outline around the chambers?
Gasket?
Set the head on a block?

Hmmm Great thought!
I have always used a gasket but now you got me thinking.
That gasket or compression ring is going to get a little bit smaller when compressed. Probably no big deal but it could be in some situation. also the dawls keep it perfectly centered
You just talked me into keeping my junk 360 block! My wife will be so happy

 

[PRH]

The more common gaskets have a way bigger bore than most blocks can even be bored to.
So, if you go out to that size, the chamber will be out past the bore of the block.
I was just curious what he used.

He may have had something like a used 4.040 Cometic gasket hanging on the wall.

The Fel Pro 1008 is 4.160

 

[pittsburghracer]

lol

Out of curiosity what flow bench you using?
I had access for years to a sf600 I played with my J heads to my hearts content.
Seems I had it set around 25 inches, but I always see everyone checking at 28”
Seems Hogan said it was a more realistic number.
Years ago I’d been up half the night, and he popped in, said what are doing 12? Trying to get the numbers I had earlier, I screwed up the port I guess, he’s says that looks pretty nice, and takes over, can’t believe it’s down? Starts looking around the bench, and noticed a cardboard box had crept over to the air intake opening, he leaves pissed off, that I’m gonna burn his bench up, I said quit leaving cardboard boxes around.

I bought two different flowbenches over the years and then built my own 8 motor bench with full electronics. The calibration stays dead nuts on unlike a fluid manometer bench that is affected by the weather and barometer. I really enjoyed this project and would recommend to to anyone.

 

[PRH]

What is the row of toggle switches for?

Turning on more motors?

You eluded that swapping over to ex flow was a pita........ what’s involved there?

 

[Cudafever]

View attachment 1715444679 View attachment 1715444680 View attachment 1715444681 View attachment 1715444682 lol


I bought two different flowbenches over the years and then built my own 8 motor bench with full electronics. The calibration stays dead nuts on unlike a fluid manometer bench that is affected by the weather and barometer. I really enjoyed this project and would recommend to to anyone.

Looks vary similar to mine but i haven't got the motor door sealed and bought the electronic. Keep spending money on go fast parts. I will get back to it someday. my old bench was just some crap to prove the concept. Ice in the u tube was allway a problem in the winter.

 

[pittsburghracer]

What is the row of toggle switches for?

Turning on more motors?

You eluded that swapping over to ex flow was a pita........ what’s involved there?

It’s not crazy bad but I hate going back and forth. I have to change the calibration figure on my laptop, on the right side of the bench is a lexan directional plate that needs pulled out, flipped over, and reinstalled, on the left side I have to 1/4 turn a marine port window remove the office plate with four thumb nuts so I can flip the radius plate over. The reinstall the window and flip one toggle switch. The round knob controls two motors to creep up on 28 inches and then each switch flips on another motor. I run three motors around 300cfm- app 350 or so and 4-5 motors at 420 on my B1 heads.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Good stuff man. Thanks for sharin.

 

[PRH]

You did a nice job on it

 

[pittsburghracer]

A couple more pictures of the guts. Bruce sells the plans to build this for 50.00. He also sells most of the parts and some very nice calibration plates.

 

[pittsburghracer]

You did a nice job on it

Thank you Sir. I can’t take credit for cutting the wood. A carpenter buddy of mine did that for a case of beer. Lol. Well I bought him two cases. Then I took over the assembly.

 

[Cudafever]

that was well Worth it.
Cutting mdf SUCKS!!!!!!

 

[PRH]

It looks like a fun project.

When I decided I needed a bigger bench....... I was too busy to have the time to take something like that on.

So......I just bought one.

With yours...... the knob only controls the speed on two of the motors?

 

[Cudafever]

If you want to get real crazy, Bruce has plans for a 12 motor bench. The drawback for most, is not having enough amperage in most garages to utilize the 12 motor.

 

[PRH]

Mine has 9 motors...... I think it draws about 45-50 amps.

They’re pretty fussy on voltage too.
The max flow rating on mine assumes 240 volts...... but it’s only 208 at my shop...... which takes a fair amount off the peak capacity.

 

[Cudafever]

The plans are vary flexible, you can start out with 1,2,3,or more motors, and then have the rest on toggle sw. As you run out of cfm, You just turn on another motor. The computer slows down the motors to keep a steady 28"
Or you can run all the motor together. Just slowly ramp up the motor as the cfm is required, holding 28".
It can be a 110 bench or a 220 bench.

 

[12swinger]

Wow very impressive

 

[j par]

LOL.. so you three would recommend something like this for a guy with a pair of 596 heads and a pair of Speedmaster heads?.. I think this is a little Beyond hobby shop time..?

 

[j par]

Oh I agree very impressive...

 

[bigfoot]

LOL.. so you three would recommend something like this for a guy with a pair of 596 heads and a pair of Speedmaster heads?.. I think this is a little Beyond hobby shop time..?

Some people enjoy this kind of stuff, I do. Some people's definition of hobby might be different than yours. I would happily spend a weekend following this kind of info grinding on heads for 80 to 100 hp more, and saving myself 1500 to 2g. Its pretty amazing a guy at pbr's level will take the time to show us all this stuff for free. Its pretty uncommon nowadays and I'm thankful for it.

 

[j par]

Some people enjoy this kind of stuff, I do. Some people's definition of hobby might be different than yours. I would happily spend a weekend following this kind of info grinding on heads for 80 to 100 hp more, and saving myself 1500 to 2g. Its pretty amazing a guy at pbr's level will take the time to show us all this stuff for free. Its pretty uncommon nowadays and I'm thankful for it.

Amazing? Like wear a cape superhero kind of stuff.. lol. It's cool.. especially to read about I enjoy it... 100 horsepower? Let's not get too crazy here.. I asked how much and the answer if you look at post 20 was as much as I can... There was no number... If they had money to make or something else do they would be doing it...

 

[bigfoot]

Amazing? Like wear a cape superhero kind of stuff.. lol. It's cool.. especially to read about I enjoy it... 100 horsepower? Let's not get too crazy here.. I asked how much and the answer if you look at post 20 was as much as I can... There was no number... If they had money to make or something else do they would be doing it...

40 cfm gain is roughly 80hp. 50 cfm would be about 100. Very possible on this head.

Wear a cape superhero kind of stuff? Thats pretty condescending, dont you think?

 

[j par]

40 cfm gain is roughly 80hp. 50 cfm would be about 100. Very possible on this head.

Wear a cape superhero kind of stuff? Thats pretty condescending, dont you think?

well see I'm learning something there an extra 50 CFM in my heads and I'll get an extra hundred horsepower out of my motor I didn't know that.. like I said it was great reading and I'm enjoying everything these guys are doing but for myself as a hobbyist and only having two sets of heads it's a bit Overkill...
Well on the other hand amazing is pretty ball tickling isn't it...