head porting
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: pittsburgh,pa
head porting
I got a 390 with the gt heads recently. The motor has been sitting for a while so I decided to tear it down and check everything out. I cleaned everything up and I am now ready to reassemble it.
Before I do this is there anything I can do to the heads for more performance? The engine is going into a mustang.
One more question how can I figure out what thickness of head gasket I need?
Thankyou, Jason
Before I do this is there anything I can do to the heads for more performance? The engine is going into a mustang.
One more question how can I figure out what thickness of head gasket I need?
Thankyou, Jason
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: pittsburgh,pa
I don't plan on disassembling the heads. They are still all together I was just wondering if there is anything I can do to them while their off, but with the valves still in them.
thanks
thanks
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
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From: Iowa
I dont recommend doing anything to the heads without disassembling them. The reason is that if you do any grinding or porting, there is going to be grit that is going to get wedged in by the valves. You're never going to get this out. It is going to go into the motor and cause damage.
Also, the most performance is to be had by cleaning up the area directly under the valves. With the valves in the heads you simply cannot get there. You gain a lot by porting these FE heads.
I recommend you get yourself a good valve spring compressor, keep everything in order, and take the heads apart. Port them as necessary, have a shop tank 'em to clean 'em up, paint 'em up nice, and put 'em back together. You will want to mark which head goes with what stuff so they dont get mixed up at the machine shop. Keep each valve with it's guide, each rocker in it's place, each pushrod with it's rocker, and so on. Or, do like mentioned above and get the bigger valves. Definately worthwhile. In that case you dont need to keep the valves in order, but keep everything else in order.
On the head gasket:
Measure how much deck clearance you've got. Then we can recommend the best gasket.
Also, the most performance is to be had by cleaning up the area directly under the valves. With the valves in the heads you simply cannot get there. You gain a lot by porting these FE heads.
I recommend you get yourself a good valve spring compressor, keep everything in order, and take the heads apart. Port them as necessary, have a shop tank 'em to clean 'em up, paint 'em up nice, and put 'em back together. You will want to mark which head goes with what stuff so they dont get mixed up at the machine shop. Keep each valve with it's guide, each rocker in it's place, each pushrod with it's rocker, and so on. Or, do like mentioned above and get the bigger valves. Definately worthwhile. In that case you dont need to keep the valves in order, but keep everything else in order.
On the head gasket:
Measure how much deck clearance you've got. Then we can recommend the best gasket.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Originally Posted by rusty70f100
Also, the most performance is to be had by cleaning up the area directly under the valves. With the valves in the heads you simply cannot get there. You gain a lot by porting these FE heads.
Originally Posted by lifted77f250
ok, thanks for the advice. What about gasket matching and just cleaning up the exhaust port? Is it worth doing, and is that a bad idea also with the valves in?
jason
jason
