Porting the Head

[Archive]

Is this something that can be done at home? Also how hard is it. If I do it should I buy another head and work on that one or just tear down my engine and try to get it done on a weekend.
I can get a rebuild head for a good price, would it be worth it if I were to do this project.
It would be nice to lose some egt's, so I can add more fuel!

Thanks
Brian Cobb

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97 2500 CC 4x4 5 speed,egt & boost gauges, #5 tst,370hp injectors,4" exhaust,16cm turbo,Governor spring kit
afc kit,RE-0880, ceramic brass clutch,prozap

 

[Archive]

Brian:

I saw where noone has answered your
post on "porting the head. " Joe
Donnelly just did this to his truck
and can probably give you some insight
as to the prices and difficulty of
doing it. I think I remember him
saying that Mark Chapple at TST
could have it done by someone too.
Also I think Piers at BD has done
it too. His phone # is:1-800-887-
5030. Mark Chapple# at TST is:
(812)342-6741.



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Red '96 4x4 2500 Auto 3. 54, TST #5, Pump Mods, Banks Exhaust, Prime Loc, Cummins Chrome Kit, Pro-Torque Converter, BD Valve Body, Sendel 16" Alum Wheels w/ 33" BFGs

 

[Archive]

I just finished porting my head last weekend, it took around 12 hours total to clean up the intake, knock down the big-ol bump out of the way of #1 and consentrate on cleaning the shortside up on the exhaust and straightening out the port on the exhaust. You do have to be carfull of the ports, they are swirl ports so you cant take much out or you vertually ruin the flow.
I've heard from the gurus this is worth around 300degree loss in egts when combined with the . 020" thicker head gasket.
On the other hand I think it is impossible to completely disreguard egts at this point with out the addition of h20. This is the only way to truely extinguish the heat. Its not hard to build either. 65psi 12volt pump, reservour, hobbs switch, on/off and some plumbing should set you back around 100 bucks.
you might call Joe D about head porting, I think he's done more than anyone.
Adam

 

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I just noticed this thread. You can do your own porting but I recommend you have some experince and a very steady hand with the die grinder. I wrote some details a while ago, between 6 months and a year ago as I recall, and you can check old threads if you want. Piers and I both saved 200-300 degrees; he had a pro shop in his area do his, after I did my own and reported my findings to him. Don't expect any hp gain, just lower egt and most likely a much lower tendency for the head to crack from heat. Its also a good time to put on those 60 lb valve springs and do a street type 3 angle valve job.

 

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Adam, how would you incorperate the h2o into the sytem? and how much of a drop would one expect on egt's.

I think I'm going to see if I can find an engine shop to do the porting , if the cost is not to bad.

Joe, this 3 angle valve job, what's the advantage of having this done. I've allready done the 60lbs valve springs.

Thanks
Brian Cobb

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97 2500 CC 4x4 5 speed,egt & boost gauges, #5 tst,370hp injectors,4" exhaust,16cm turbo,Governor spring kit
afc kit,RE-0880, ceramic brass clutch,prozap

 

[Archive]

Dr. D,
Was your port job pretty much a casting clean up or did you recontour the ports? Did you do just the exhaust or the intake also? In gas motors bowl cleanup and reshape seems to bring the biggest gains. Is this true with the Cummins?

A friend had the headers on his race car coated with a clear ceramic on the inside to pass more heat to the turbo. Extrude honing and then the coating might be beneficial.

Duke

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95 2500,std cab,4x4,auto by Dunrite,TST #4,AFC spring kit,Pier's gov spring kit, timing @ 15*, 215 injectors, Walker muff, 3. 54,Diprocol gauges in cupholder slot, K&N,Optima reds, Valentine One radar deflector,Diamond utility bed, Firestone air bags, custom 52 gal aux tank under bed.

 

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I did some of both. Bowl recontouring and cleanup, removal of obstructions in the intake; also a 3 angle valve job for flow improvement.

 

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egts are as much as you want, the guys with the tractors inject over 14 quarts in 15 seconds, they used to burn up to 3 piston every run without. They use 2 circuts to cool, one start when boost reaches a level coming from a 1100psi vaine pump and another that comes in when egt reaches 1300, the run I witnessed he never went over 975 degrees. These are 550 ci in line 6's with quad turbos making 160psi boost. The downfall in this case for one run a night type is they have to change the oil after every run from contamination. So I was told its like this, you add until egts never go past a predetermined level up to the point of minimal contamination wile remembering the more you add the less power you develope.
I am going to set mine up on a hobbs pressure switch to turn on at real close to max boost so its only used at close to max power wile minalizing residual h2o flow after you let off.
On the head porting I got advise from Kevin Mclellan from flowmaster. He had me blend the bowls and clean up the short side then to straighten the line of sight through the eshaust ports, port match the gaskets and manifold, the intake is a clean up and removal of the bolt noduale in #1's path.
He mentioned on the flowbench by removing to much out of the swirl's in the ports meant a dramatic decrease in flow. He also wanted to do a valve job and to back cut the valve's for increased low lift flow.

 

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I had Joe Donnely do my head porting. I also did the three angle valve job and the 60 pound valve springs. My egt's go down as fast as they go up. Also I am running a 18. 5 turbo housing. For all you home machanics I am not trying to insult anybody but there are alot of variables when you port a head. If it is not done right the cylinder temps will not run together. Some will run hotter than others and if you dont get them even the air flow will not be the same to each hole. There are holes that get hotter than others, and your exhaust probe will not pick it up. It only picks up the combined temp. I not saying don't do it yourself. If have not ported a Cummins head before, YOu might want to talk to somewone that has done more than one head and how the truck runs afterward. Rember if it does not come out right or you overheat your head from cutting out to much or you don't cut out the same out of each hole. You will not know you have done it until have a problem! Joe Donnely has researched this and he has done more than one Cummins head. By the way I am a mechanic by trade on heavy equipment and I have been in this field for 15 years. I chose to have somewone to do my head that had done one before and had very good results. I have good results also and this 175 hp engine has made leaps and bounds on horsepower from the assistance of JOE.
SteveFyfe.


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95 2500 4wd Lts of chrome and 370 dyno hp to the ground