head porting/machining question?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jul 2010
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head porting/machining question? Just wondering if anyone has ported and polished there own heads on an ls1?
and what tools they used, thinking of doing mine myself and getting a machine shop to do the valve seats if i decide to go slightly bigger valves, any help or tips greatly appreciated.
Also what size bigger valves intake and exhaust can i go on a 2002 ls1 with out machine work on the seats etc? or will have to do no matter what size i upgrade to? (sorry if that last question sounded confusing)
(got a 218/224 114 lsa cam so just looking at mild porting and match porting exhaust so nothing major with maybe a slightly bigger valves upgrade)
and what tools they used, thinking of doing mine myself and getting a machine shop to do the valve seats if i decide to go slightly bigger valves, any help or tips greatly appreciated.
Also what size bigger valves intake and exhaust can i go on a 2002 ls1 with out machine work on the seats etc? or will have to do no matter what size i upgrade to? (sorry if that last question sounded confusing)
(got a 218/224 114 lsa cam so just looking at mild porting and match porting exhaust so nothing major with maybe a slightly bigger valves upgrade)
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 149
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From: Braselton,Ga
Just to be honest with you it seems that most people on this forum feel that a so called proffessional should be doing the porting on heads not the average joe that is wanting to learn how to do it them selves.
Most people feel you need to spend the money to have the heads CNC'ed.
Also no one will give you a answer on were to remove material and were not to remove material other than don't grind on the valve guide's.
i'll be honest with you it seems all the people that do porting as a business will not tell you anything other than good luck.
I have read a whole slew of threads starting with how does my porting look and in those threads there's always someone that say's it doesn't look good you should have paid a proffessional.
When it comes to porting heads on this forum everyone is hush hush
I can tell you that you can have your factory intake valve seats opened for 2.02 valves.I know this from fact because I was thinking about using 2.02 valves on my 243 heads ,,,but i decided to have larger new valve seats installed so I could use 2.055 intake valves.
Also alot of people will tell you not to go with larger valves because they will be heavier ,,but if you look at most aftermarket heads most of them have valves larger than the factory 2.00.
Good luck
Most people feel you need to spend the money to have the heads CNC'ed.
Also no one will give you a answer on were to remove material and were not to remove material other than don't grind on the valve guide's.
i'll be honest with you it seems all the people that do porting as a business will not tell you anything other than good luck.
I have read a whole slew of threads starting with how does my porting look and in those threads there's always someone that say's it doesn't look good you should have paid a proffessional.
When it comes to porting heads on this forum everyone is hush hush
I can tell you that you can have your factory intake valve seats opened for 2.02 valves.I know this from fact because I was thinking about using 2.02 valves on my 243 heads ,,,but i decided to have larger new valve seats installed so I could use 2.055 intake valves.
Also alot of people will tell you not to go with larger valves because they will be heavier ,,but if you look at most aftermarket heads most of them have valves larger than the factory 2.00.
Good luck
Last edited by incbed; Sep 23, 2010 at 12:35 PM.
There is going to be a lot of porting needed if you go to a bigger valve. Think about it. You cant just open up the valve seat and leave all that material behind it in the port and expect it to work can you? With a cam that small, I'd say just hit it all with a sand paper roll to get rid of the high spots.
Unless you have accesss to a flow bench, you should not port your own heads. Trust me, there is a heck of a lot that you can do to make them worse. Also with that small cam, I dont think bigger valves are going to benefit to much. You'd be better off milling the heads to get some more compression. Like incbed said, head porting is a black art, no one is going to tell you anything. It has taken me 11 years to get my friend to show me some of his secrets, and we are about as close as a father and son.
Incbed, I work in Braselton...Ive never seen your car though. Do you work for year one?
Unless you have accesss to a flow bench, you should not port your own heads. Trust me, there is a heck of a lot that you can do to make them worse. Also with that small cam, I dont think bigger valves are going to benefit to much. You'd be better off milling the heads to get some more compression. Like incbed said, head porting is a black art, no one is going to tell you anything. It has taken me 11 years to get my friend to show me some of his secrets, and we are about as close as a father and son.
Incbed, I work in Braselton...Ive never seen your car though. Do you work for year one?
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 149
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From: Braselton,Ga
Jenson,,,I wish I worked at Yearone because I only live 5min from there,however I did work for Haverty's about 7 years ago,,,,but anyways my camaro is not my DD I might drive it maybe once a week and thats normally on the weekends.I do see a Red SS alot that is always getting off exit 120 in the mornings is that you???
Last edited by incbed; Sep 23, 2010 at 08:51 AM.
If you havent seen it in a while it could be. Its extremely loud. I parked it for an LS3 swap about 2 months ago and got the bird. I just noticed you have the mag C5 wheels on your car, you wouldnt by chance just got a newly married neighboor named DJ and Mcall would you? To the OP, snelling's example of just removing casting flaws is what I would do if I were you.
I had never ported heads before but I have a brain, I did a lot of research online, found pictrues of pro ported heads and side cuts of the ports. I practiced on a junk head before I ever touched the Heads that are going on the car. It is possible for a lot of people to port heads successfully, it is also possible for a lot of people to mess up a set of heads.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...d-porting.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...d-porting.html
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Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jul 2010
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I did my own heads. Not much material was removed. I basically removed casting flaws and the rough casting finish. LINK
thanks for all info, haven't spoken to any machining shops yet but yeh they would be pritty gaurded about that.
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Launching!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 238
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I had never ported heads before but I have a brain, I did a lot of research online, found pictrues of pro ported heads and side cuts of the ports. I practiced on a junk head before I ever touched the Heads that are going on the car. It is possible for a lot of people to port heads successfully, it is also possible for a lot of people to mess up a set of heads.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...d-porting.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...d-porting.html
