Port my 98ls1 heads?
Port my 98ls1 heads? Ordering the fm13 cam. Do a home polish and port or should I send the heads off and have them done? Since they are Ls1 heads is it a waist of time. I know the LS6 heads are better but how do they stack up against each other after they have been worked. I have 108k miles on the car. I have the budget for the cam install and the little extras that always go along with doing anything. Thought about just gasket matching and polishing the heads really well. That is all depending on how much absolute or tea would charge to do the heads. Any thoughts?
depends on how much money you want to spend and how confident you are in your ability. theres alot more to porting heads then just taking the dremel out and removing material. i'd spend the money and have the heads sent out to someone who knows what there doing; get some nice port work, a good valve job, new vavles, and a good set of springs and your good to go.
Originally Posted by PREDATOR-Z
FM13 on a 108K motor?
That would be the equivalent of giving steroids to an 80 year old to run a marathon.
Save your money for a rebuilt.
That would be the equivalent of giving steroids to an 80 year old to run a marathon.
Save your money for a rebuilt.
I thought about that too. Ive been back and forth between the bottle and a cam. thought i would spray until the motor went. Nitrous would still be good after the motor went. dont think i could say that for a cam. When the motor in my 76 vette went, somehow my cam survived even tho the number 4 piston was no more as in i dipped it out of the oil pan with my hands. I like having the power there all the time and thats why i kinda came back to the cam. I thought the magical ls 1's lasted forever. So you guys dont think it will hold together???? The car was driven by my sister for like 6 years until this past spring when i bought it from her and installed a m6 and all the boltons. The miles are straight interstate miles, but i guess miles are miles.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Foley, Alabama-southern Alabama
You could clean up the ports a little,I wouldn"t waste my time gasket matching,most work needs to be done around the valveguide and below the valveseat where the aluminum and steel touch.There is a ridge in this area you can blend in,if you cut the swirl ramp down be careful as you can cut into the waterjacket right beside the valvestem.Also on the intake you can about cut out the boss for the rockerarm bolts,if you are careful you won't cut into the threads and make a hole.If you do the exhaust port just streamline the guide and make the whole port a little bigger,go up and out on each side,don't take any metal off the bottom of the port.I f you use a carbide burr you can just knock off the casting marks on the exhaust port,there is also a small casting line on each side of these ports just cut until this don"t show.Its not that hard,use wd40 or tranny fluid on your bit as the aluminum will stick to the burr.A good valve job might be helpful too! Good luck! 
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Originally Posted by FASTONE
You could clean up the ports a little,I wouldn"t waste my time gasket matching,most work needs to be done around the valveguide and below the valveseat where the aluminum and steel touch.There is a ridge in this area you can blend in,if you cut the swirl ramp down be careful as you can cut into the waterjacket right beside the valvestem.Also on the intake you can about cut out the boss for the rockerarm bolts,if you are careful you won't cut into the threads and make a hole.If you do the exhaust port just streamline the guide and make the whole port a little bigger,go up and out on each side,don't take any metal off the bottom of the port.I f you use a carbide burr you can just knock off the casting marks on the exhaust port,there is also a small casting line on each side of these ports just cut until this don"t show.Its not that hard,use wd40 or tranny fluid on your bit as the aluminum will stick to the burr.A good valve job might be helpful too! Good luck!
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