Porting the header flange
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 634
Likes: 1
From: Houston
Porting the header flange Using my headers as an example, KooKs 1-7/8 Stainless Long Tubes.
Is there any need/advantage to try and port the header flange to better match the exhaust port on an aftermarket head?
And what about header gaskets and the ‘quench’ provided by different header gaskets? Any affect on performance?
Is there any need/advantage to try and port the header flange to better match the exhaust port on an aftermarket head?
And what about header gaskets and the ‘quench’ provided by different header gaskets? Any affect on performance?
Best header gaskets if you don't already have a pair of steel ones are stock GM. Gentle porting should already have been done to your Kooks, QTP does this on theirs. Just make sure there isn't any stray extruding metal. You shouldn't invest money into porting them though.
No need to port the headers. On old SBC SBF bullshit, you might need to, but not on LS1's. My Kooks 1-7/8's came touched up from Kooks, they are perfect right out of the box.
Quench deals with HEAD gaskets, not HEADER gaskets.
Quench is the distance between the flat portion of the piston and the flat portion of the head that's exposed to the combustion.
Example) If you run a .050" head gasket and your pistons come out of the hole .010", then you have a .040 quench.
Closer quench allows that section of the cylinder to stay cool during combustion and allows for more compression without running higher octane fuel.
Quench deals with HEAD gaskets, not HEADER gaskets.
Quench is the distance between the flat portion of the piston and the flat portion of the head that's exposed to the combustion.
Example) If you run a .050" head gasket and your pistons come out of the hole .010", then you have a .040 quench.
Closer quench allows that section of the cylinder to stay cool during combustion and allows for more compression without running higher octane fuel.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 634
Likes: 1
From: Houston
Thanks for the input.
I completely understand ‘Quench’.
What I was talking about is the gap left by the header gasket. I just didn’t know if more of less space there would have any affect on the harmonics and flow of the exhaust port.
I haven’t checked it, but I would imagine that the steel type gaskets are somewhat different in thickness than the stock GM units.
Anyway, just a little splitting hairs, that’s all.
Thanks!
I completely understand ‘Quench’.
What I was talking about is the gap left by the header gasket. I just didn’t know if more of less space there would have any affect on the harmonics and flow of the exhaust port.
I haven’t checked it, but I would imagine that the steel type gaskets are somewhat different in thickness than the stock GM units.
Anyway, just a little splitting hairs, that’s all.
Thanks!
