Re: Porting Head Myself???

["Brian and Mea Jowett" <syncroboy@hotmail.com>]

>	1) Has anyone done this

Yes.

	
>	2) Am I stupid for trying this myself.  I plan to use my spare
>head from my 84' 4kq Turbo Conversion Project to do a mild port/polish 
on
>it and then put it on my 85' 4kq which needs a new Head Gasget anyways.  
I
>can get the grinder bits and stuff I need for $50 from the Eastwood
>Company.  Seems simple enough.  At least the polishing part.  Dont know
>about porting so I may just polish.  

Not stupid... basic porting is not very difficult, you can build what 
many 'Tuners' would consider a stage 1 or 2 head. The most important 
thing to remember is to NOT reshape the port... don't remove much 
material... you need a flow bench for this type of thing. You want to 
complete the job, that for finacial reasons, the factory does not do.

Go to Sears, buy their BIG grinding tool that has 1/4" shank capacity. 
Cost about $80... then as you noted, $50 worth of porting bits and you 
are in business.

The best section to gain flow is where the valve seat meets the port, 
VW/Audi does a good job here compared to many others, but there's still 
room for improvement. Match the port to the valve seat. Smooth any bumps 
where the factory machining ends and the cast shape of the port 
begins... smooth any casting ridges... match all manifolds to the head 
etc. A do not - mess with the bottom of the port... low flow area... 
needs no help flowing less. If you feel adventurous, you may play with 
the roof of the port (raise).

If you want to go a bit further... you can deshroud the valves... this 
requires a trip to the machine shop, but won't cost to much. This mod 
helps low end torque w/o harming high end. As the valve lifts from the 
seat, material around the seat's edge blocks air flow, by removing it (I 
don't recall the ideal angle) flow into and out of the port can begin 
earlier.

>	3) WHat gains can I expect from this.  10 hp with a freer reving
>motor up high.  Will I lose anything.  I can see only plusses to doing
>this.

The engine will be a bit better everywhere... if you do it correctly, 
you won't lose a thing.

>	4) Also, I should replace Valve Seals when I am in there right?
>How much are these usually and how hard are they to do once I'm in 
there?

Yes, get Viton seals.

Brian

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