Heads

[Rootie524]

bump. im interested in 3400-95-modified's questions as well.

[3400-95-Modified]

Competition has the detail work done, like polishing the exhaust port vs just shaping it and leaving it as is after the carbide cutter work. Pricing is for the set, though a refundable core charge applies.

Kinda off topic, but would it ever be possible to have a set of heads just ported to Competition level, no valves, no springs, no locks, no seals... just port a set of castings and return bare. Also if necessary to compliment your port work I guess cut the valve job, unless the valve job is nothing special to the port work.

What would that run? You don't leave an option in the store of just having the castings done and leaving it to the user to assemble with parts already owned.

[SappySE107]

Competition has the detail work done, like polishing the exhaust port vs just shaping it and leaving it as is after the carbide cutter work. Pricing is for the set, though a refundable core charge applies.

[Rootie524]

i think i already asked this somewhere but i cant find it. whats the difference between regular ported heads from WOT and the competition series heads?

also when i get them from WOT tech..is the price per head or for a set?

[pocket-rocket]

So in theory, iron heads are harder to screw up because it takes 10x longer to remove material, lol.

[ForcedFirebird]

I think the perception of porting is different between those who do it a lot and those who have done light porting with a dremel. I have no doubt that 3400-95-Modified's heads are better than stock, he did a very nice job however when a person does a "competition" port job like Ben, John and myself there is quite a bit more to the process. I think Ben can vouch for the amount of material removed from the ports on my 3500 heads.

I've got 2 hours of porting into just a 3500 UIM and LIM that are on my bench, probably another 6-8 will go into the heads. That's with an air die grinder and a nice set of bits. I'll also probably spend another hour or 2 working with them on the flow bench to match all the ports and give the customer final numbers. It is not an easy process.

Yeah, and you guys need to do some iron so you can appreciate the aluminum more :P

Imagine having to remove that much material, and more using a double cut burr and stones hehe.

I also like how you brought up the bench time as well. People who don't want to pay the price for a good set of heads doesn't realize the time and effort that goes into them, and don't take into consideration the amount of time invested initially (hundreds of flow tests, building a bench, research etc). That time has to be spread out across several sets of heads and/or manis, otherwise the first set of heads would cost about 10x as much as the 10th set.

[3400-95-Modified]

x2 with what Dave said.

Dave just said it better than I did... LMAO

I don't expect my heads to be as good as your's but right now thats all I could muster... SO maybe next year when I grab another 3500 and 3400, or just a 3500, I can have a professional job done.

[SappySE107]

Yeah, they didn't like all that work/pressure.

x2 with what Dave said.

[pocket-rocket]

I started with a dremel and I have ruined plenty of heads on accident and on purpose. I will never recommend a dremel to anyone that wants to port, professionally or not.

I think by the time the heads for the 91 were done, both of our Dremels were screaming for mercy, new bearings and brushes...

[Superdave]

I think the perception of porting is different between those who do it a lot and those who have done light porting with a dremel. I have no doubt that 3400-95-Modified's heads are better than stock, he did a very nice job however when a person does a "competition" port job like Ben, John and myself there is quite a bit more to the process. I think Ben can vouch for the amount of material removed from the ports on my 3500 heads.

I've got 2 hours of porting into just a 3500 UIM and LIM that are on my bench, probably another 6-8 will go into the heads. That's with an air die grinder and a nice set of bits. I'll also probably spend another hour or 2 working with them on the flow bench to match all the ports and give the customer final numbers. It is not an easy process.

[86FieroSEv6]

One of the methods used by pros to maintain consistency from head to head is to make port templates once you have achieved a good setup. These templates are made to the shape at different depths in the port so you can check the shape as you go. They are pieces of sheet metal with a heavy wire attached so they can be inserted in the port. The templates are marked for proper order based on position in the port.



Damn . . . . gave up another speed secret . . . . .

[SappySE107]

It is more difficult to do a good job with smaller bits. Consistancy is important. You can get into smaller areas with those small bits, but that detail work nets you the least return on time. For the easy to get to areas, it is more difficult to be consistant on the port itself, let alone port to port. I started with a dremel and I have ruined plenty of heads on accident and on purpose. I will never recommend a dremel to anyone that wants to port, professionally or not.

[3400-95-Modified]

I wasn't trying to ridicule you, sorry.

I wasn't taking it as that, I was just simply saying that its true, a lot of people do home porting work using a dremel and the flexible end to get into the ports, and for most that works out just fine, for two reasons, they are typically only doing one set of heads so time is not an issue, and the dremel doesn't have to last that long.

I can definitely see how a full blown electric die grinders would work for you and help turn around time and probably outlive a dremel any day.. but if you ask me they seem a bit large and bulky to do the work, especially when your starting out. I would rather work with something that takes much more effort to f-up rather than a tool that you could blow through to a water jacket in no time.

So really I agree with both sides. If you have time, and it is your first time then a smaller rotary tool may suite you well, but if you are turning these things around for profit and you know exactly where and how much to cut, then something a bit larger and with a bit more power/longevity will suite you better.

[pocket-rocket]

Being N/A I would smooth them out, not completely get rid of them. Otherwise velocity can be dropped if the ports aren't choking your engine right now. At least that's how it makes sense in my melon.

[Rootie524]

so they can be grinded out they no longer serve an important purpose?