I’m about to pull the heads off my 08 Z06 and send them out for overhaul. The primary reason for this is to verify guide wear and replace as needed, replace the sodium filled exhaust valves with solid valves (preferably Ti), valve job, new seals and have some mild port work done. Reason I’m leaning towards Ti exhaust is to keep weight down and maintain good valve train stability without having to compensate with spring pressure. I can only get 90 octane fuel where I live, so I doubt I’ll be able to mill much off the heads, if any. I’m not looking to dyno race the car, and am simply wanting to optimize overall performance from off idle through red line. The car is making 525 whp now and that’s plenty for my needs, but I’d gladly take more if drivability is not adversely affected to the point of irritation.

I plan to run one of Geoff’s (EPS) cams, tailored to the heads and I need to get him flow numbers so he can start working on the cam, but I am now in a quandary who to send them to. I have spoken to many of the more reputable porters, and they all have told me similar things about their port work. IE: better flow without lowering port velocity. I'd rather not mention who I've spoken to, as that's not the point of this post and I can live without the drama of "he said" / "she said" banter.

Most of the CNC porters have some flow numbers posted that a customer can reference, while some don’t. Sometimes they have OEM flow numbers as well as thier flow numbers, so a prospective customer can see what, if any gains their port work has over stock. So here’s my conundrum. I have no way to compare one porter’s work to another's. The measurements are basically worthless in this regards. And even if there were flow numbers from each that was done at an independent testing facility, I still don’t know how effective their port work will be for cylinder filling of this particular engine, as I don’t have any idea what the cross sectional area is, what the flow velocity is, if they have bumped up to - or beyond the sonic choke point, or where they are on the Mach index. I’m not even sure if they know these things or if they test for it when they design their port profile.

Getting to the point of my ramblings, I’d like to know how the professional engine builders and / or head gurus around here go about selecting a head porter? Do you have any suggestions for me when I speak to the shops who specialize in port work? I’m most likely over thinking this, but I do not like not knowing exactly what is being done to my stuff, but more importantly, why. However, as I only know enough about port work to know I don't know much, I'm not sure what questions I should be asking these folks. Any tips and / or advise from the head gurus would be appreciated. If there is a more appropriate place to discuss this topic, please let me know that as well.

Thanks in advance for your time...... mike

 

you have come to the right place, tons of people here have worked heads
I take it your main problem is knowing whether or not to trust the guy you are sending them to?
Well to answer that, besides talking to him and listening to him and what he knows try doing some searching around and look for other people who have gone to him, ask them their opinions of his work.
If you arent satisfied then do some research into a local more well known name.

 

I'd look at the end results.

Head porters almost always have different approaches and theories to porting cylinder heads. Two different cylinder head guys may have two very different techniques and neither of them may even be wrong. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Look up what the cylinder heads went on and how that car performed. See if that is what you want. They can BS you about velocity profiles, flow numbers, mid lift vs low lift, or whatever, but it's the end result that counts.

 

Call rich at wcch

 

Agreed

 

WCCH is definately on my short list. As well as Reher Morrison.

 

Speak with Richard at WCCH - proheads.com. I think you'll gain a real appreciation for his approach to making power. Sounds like you and he would agree on how to go.

 

Just like everyone else has stated I would talk to Richard at WCCH their heads are proven over and over again.

Also I agree with what KCS stated, they can talk all their flow number and velocity talk but results are what count and here is an example of end results.
This is a friend of mine's car and he replaced a set of Vmax ported LS3's witha set of WCCH ls7's and gained 3 tenths. My cousin just talked to him and he said that the car has way more in it because the tune is off and he is playing with the tune as we speak so the 10.50 he ran will be lowered soon and this is a 3800lb+ car to boot

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...some-ls3s.html

 

Richard gets my vote

The man knows his stuff.
And will work with you not try and sell you what you don't need.

 

I would send them to Texas Speed to get the heads worked. They have a great port for the LS7.