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Author
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Topic: Home porting heads
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 375
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 05-21-2003 11:23 PM
   
I have never ported heads, or done any work on heads at all. However I just read an interesting article at fordmuscle.com that porting your own heads is not really as hard as it seems. The writer of the article got some 69 4V 351 windsor heads to flow very close (with bigger valves) and sometimes above the flow of out of the box aftermarket heads like Edelbrocks. (using the same easy techniques described in the article) The shocking thing was it was only his 2nd time porting heads EVER! Would getting the right equipment, and attmepting something like this for the first time ever on my 70 2V windsor heads not be a smart thing to do? The article kept insisting that it was alot harder to screw up than you would imagine and a fairly easy thing to do. Should I just give them to a pro, or even buy new heads, or attempt this type of thing myself? Of course I would not be totally alone on this but to me it is a risky idea still. I would love to hear your opinions.Paul Oh yeah, one more thing, are my particular 70 351 Windsor 2v heads very similiar to the 69 4v windsor heads he had. I know the 4V have higher compression but don't the 2v and 4V flow the same? [This message has been edited by grandestang (edited 05-21-2003).]
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bigblocked85
Gearhead Posts: 163
From: Waterford,MI
Registered: May 2003
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posted 05-22-2003 02:07 AM
Not going to be much help on the particulars of 351 heads. But as just as a note, anyone can grab a die grinder and grind metal on or in anything. The key is to know exactly what your casting needs for a better flow rating. If you can find a guide for your castings that someone has already done research on (flow bench), your golden. Remember, bigger is not always better. Example, production 385 series heads (all of them) have very poor exhaust ports due too low port floors and a very short turn radius. The best thing for these heads is to leave the floor (bottom) alone and remove thermactor ports then raise the upper radius and extend out to the port opening. However, a lot of people will just hog out the port all the way around and REALLY screw up the flow due to extra turbulance caused by making the lower radius even lower and sharper. Anyways, if you want to learn to port heads, by all means go to a salvage yard and pick up some junk heads (preferably the same as yours) and practice. See for yourself where that water passage is. It's worth the time and money spent not to screw up your good pieces. Expect to spend a LOT of time with that die grinder in your hands. I dont mean to scare you but just make sure improvements are good improvements. Have fun, Gordon
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Rustang
Gearhead Posts: 733
From: Clarion PA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 07:07 AM
To add to Gordon's good advice, from what I recall you have to be the most careful down in the bowl area on the wall between the intake and exhaust ports. It don't take much to hit water there.
Also, wear a full face shield and ball cap turned backwards. I've duct taped the two together to protect the eyes even more. Cast iron cuttings are very sharp, and it sucks getting it dug out of your eye! (been there, done that)  ------------------
'68 mustang 351 clevor- 10.92@124
'67 Stang, 351W -11.18@118
'69 351C Torino-14.90@100
'78 Pickup 351W-15.56@88
'79 Pickup 460 ET=??
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 6098
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 08:22 AM
And when you are done using the carbides and switch to cartridge rolls, get a handful of those paper filter type masks to wear. If you decide to do it yourself, get a pair of gloves with some anti-vibration jell in the palms of them (like the Ringers mechanics gloves). That will cut down drastically on the "tingling" feeling you will have in your hands afterwords. Overall, it's not hard to do. All of the heads I have done, I have only ruined one. And it wasn't a valuable head, so I was using it for R&D seeing how far I could go before I hit water.
It's a long process that gets very tiring quickly. And, once you get one done, you still have another to go. 
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Tbird
Gearhead Posts: 298
From: USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 05-22-2003 08:33 AM
Hi, new guy here and thought I would add one little thing to Kid's advice.Get a few pair of the yellow foam ear plugs or else you will be known as the grumpy grinder due to the ringining in your ears from the carbide burs on the cast iron.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 6098
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 08:36 AM
Good advice Tbird. It's been awhile since I've ported anything and I forgot how noisey it is. I also use ear plugs. They help A LOT. Welcome to M&M Tbird.  ------------------
Rob Hetzler
member #773
'69 mustang, 351C, best 9.97 @ 133 mph 1/4, 6.18 @ 110.4 1/8
'70 mustang, soon to be 351W powered
'93 F150 Lightning 15.33 @ 87 mph, completely stock with 173k miles
'60 Falcon wagon project car
'99 Pro Et track champion
'00 Mod ET R-up (with new car) My Photo Page
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 2419
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-22-2003 11:00 AM
The C9OE - D0OE 351W head is fairly thin in the lower corners of the bowl. (I hit water there once)  I seriously doubt you'll get those 351W heads to flow as well as a set of Edelbrocks. I consider my 289 heads to have a GOOD port job, and they only managed around 218I/176E. I first did these right before all the aftermarket stuff came out (before aftermarket heads opened up the ford market, and slow small blocks were the norm) The car blew peoples minds back then, but grinding on old iron is no substitute for the nice castings now available. You can't even really justify it moneywise. Once you spend the money for new valves, springs, retainers, seals, keepers, milling, install guides, install larger valves, multi-angle valve job, set up for and purchase guide plates, buy adn set up for screw-in studs, magging, cleaning, and spend hours upon hours porting... you've still got an old set of heads that can't really be sold for much, and will not work as well as a set of new aftermarket units. (even though you've spent almost the same amount of money) If you just want to spend a little time on a stock set that doesn't need all the rebuilding, larger valves and machine work, go for it. It's free power. but we all know how things tend to 'snowball' Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 375
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 05-22-2003 01:43 PM
I dont really expect them to outflow any Edelbrocks, that was just an exampe- a very unreal expectation for me. All I want is to gasket match the ports, and clean up the bowls a little bit- not even taking much material off them- just smoothing them out a litte (as the article says). As long as I get some decent flow out of them I would be happy, and the concept of making my own power is interesting. With new valves, three angle valve job- everything said above by n20Mike will these still outweigh the cost of a new.. say.. Edelbrock RPM? ------------------
1970 Grande
H code 351W FMX
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indyphil
Gearhead Posts: 2398
From: Senoia, G.A. USA
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 03:14 PM
I think A fairer comparison would be the iron World product heads. They flow well and are cheaper than edelbrock. Also being Iron they are less prone to going banana shaped and leaking, and wont need a higher compression ratio to make them work. If you compare home porting with world product heads or similar I think its a straight choice between spending a lot of time on porting or picking up the phone and having it running after one saturdays worth of work. Cost would be similar. I know that doing it yourself is often more rewarding so you have to make the call. If you follow the tried and tested methods, and read the articles then im sure mild porting wont pose a problem.
Do whatever is going to make you happy.I plan on buying heads already built and then painting them Ford blue and bolting them on in a weekend but my car is a driver and it my ONLY car... ------------------
'68 coupe 289 C code
66 heads, edel 600cfm carb, performer intake, dual exhaust
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