Porting cylinder heads multistage process

Discussing porting theory and techniques including why its best to port in stages. Generally you will rough cut, medium cut, fine cut/grind then finish off with port texturing via sanding rolls, stones, cross buffs ect.
This allows control over the final product without cutting too far!

[@patrickwendling6759]

Thank you very much.. very educational.. im learning alot.. 👍🏼

[@HeadFlowInc]

Thanks for watching and the feedback! JD

[@TheProchargedmopar]

Did you ever have formal training from anyone? A local guy/ machinist here trained under Mondello but he is big into Harley heads. Don't think he does much with auto. It would be really cool to go to a Vizard Seminar before he croaks.

[@HeadFlowInc]

Prochargedmopar I studied the Mondello porting theories and use them as guidelines. I also have techniques I like from a couple porters from the Pontiac V8 community plus general information from guys like Vizard and Jim Taylor. Yeah I’d like to take a class or sit in on a seminar to be able to learn some new information. 🤔😎👍

[@coreycole6967]

Sir......your pointers low on oil!

[@bluecollarfox913]

Sorry for my questions sir. I’ve been bothering you for 2 days now. At about 3:00 into the video You mention Bowl percentages. At your most convenient time could you please explain what that means?

[@HeadFlowInc]

Justin Derasmo Sorry haven’t had much service this week. The bowl cut or throat of the port is the area where the valve seat transitions to the port. I use 89-90% Intake seat and 86-87% Exhaust seat. This means you calculate the percentage of the valve used in each to determine the bowl cut. I use mostly the Joe Mondello porting theory math in this area. Thanks for watching I appreciate it! JD

[@roaringcat1]

My value guide hang down in my ports like about a half inch how much valve guides can you cut away and still be safe or does it hurt for the valve guide to hang down?

[@HeadFlowInc]

roaringcat 62 Iirc you will need a minimum of 1.750” valve guide, naturally we need to verify this and longer lasts better. Many times you can cut the guide inside the port all the way down to the aluminum, just make sure you leave enough! 👍

[@roaringcat1]

Thank you for the information I was thinking it was something right around that length.

[@mikeeagle2653]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jamesbrassfield4714]

If I go too deep and make a hole can it be fixed

[@HeadFlowInc]

James Brassfield Aluminum can be welded but it might be cheaper to find another head. The key is only removing a little, if you follow the guide lines you’ll never be removing a lot. Remember you aren’t trying to just make the port as big as you can, it’s not going to work. Massage the areas to help the air get through little at a time. JD

[@scotts439]

I dont mean to sound like an a-hole, but I do have a criticism.... it seems like you spend a lot of time and energy doing this type of work. Dont you think you are just guessing at this stuff? All the things you mention about airflow characteristics sound good, but without a flowbench to actually test, you could be doing all that work and not really make any improvements? Then after all this work, you are going to have a generic valve job done?

[@HeadFlowInc]

PowerPlay Engines I can only say after you’ve been porting long enough, done the same port over and over many times there’s no need to flow test every set unless the customer requests a flow sheet and wants to pay the $125.00 It’s like once you learn to sign your name you don’t constantly need to change how you sign it. At this point my work is proving itself making power, sometimes crazy amounts of power. Part of what caused you and others to focus on flow bench, flow sheet, information is a key part of the manipulation people suffer from who think there’s all this special magic handed down from generation to generation on how/where to port heads. Yes designing a port from scratch, or initially working a new style head to try and improve flow, having a flow bench to test on is the way to go. Porting in its core is Math and basic percentages to the areas of the port resulting in the most gains. 1. The Bowl cut and Blend is the #1 most important part of any port job. Measure the valve and open the bowl to 89-90% of the valve size. Blend this bowl cut to the port by maintaining as much angle as possible on the wall behind the guide boss. 2. Reduce the guide boss profile and blend into the port. Warning: Do the research to identify any thin areas and coolant passages before poking holes. 3. Try to make a smooth radius of the short turn while also widening the transition work. 4. You can gasket match and blend both Intake and Exhaust ports, just make sure you blend the work all the way into the port. 5. Structural changes need more experience and research. Mods like rocker lump removal in an LS head, swirl ramp removal on an LS head, raising the roof on the exhaust ports any/head. As an example. 6. Port clean up and smoothing to basically join your bowl work and blend to your gasket match and port clean up. Final port texture etc. I follow the majority of proven porting theory, I like and have good success using the Joe Mondello percentages and theory. My point is it’s not rocket science but does take practice and practical application of the porting theory. If you do these base operations your not going to hurt performance. With all that said, if a person unwittingly just starts hogging out a cylinder head thinking Bigger is better then yes the head would be ruined! 😳. I’ve seen several heads ruined in videos shared on KZbin. Sad 😢 I’m willing to have any of my heads flow tested, trust me when you see the detailed work it speaks for itself. Not to mention all the engines out there running my work making great power helps me 👍 P.S. I’ve kicked around the idea of accepting donations so I can flow more heads without adding cost to the customer. Do you think it would be a good option to offer the viewers? I’m very curious JD

[@scotts439]

@@HeadFlowInc thanks for detailed reply. I am not suggesting flowing every head you port, but flowbench is used as R&D to develop your port. If you have no history of actual R&D of airflow, then maybe your R&D is on a dyno, or at the track. I am not bashing, but I think if you want to be taken seriously, you should invest in some equipment. a bridgeport can be fixtured up to cut seats, and resurface. a SF-110 and a valve grinder and you are in business. I know its an investment, but dont you want to test different seat profiles? Low lift flow is all in the VJ. You DONT want to become the next headbytes!

[@HeadFlowInc]

PowerPlay Engines Omg, I totally forgot about Tony Sizemore at Headbytes... Sad how he ripped all those people off, I almost had to change the name of my channel because it was too close to his! 😳 Man I truly appreciate your honest feedback! I would absolutely love to even have the space for real machinery and a flow bench. The reality of it is, I’m disabled and buying expensive equipment is a dream. If you notice it takes me a good bit of time sometimes to port a set of heads, this is unfortunately due to my physical limitations. I can and have finished a set of 241 heads in less than a week taking about 32-33 hours. Looking at my progress, if I had the machinery to do valve jobs, face and back cut valves etc would save time and speed up the process. The more I think about it, the more I want to find a way! Thanks for the feedback I appreciate it! JD

[@scotts439]

@@HeadFlowInc Dont say its a dream! You can obviously get the job done... now dont limit yourself. Start looking on FB and CR for valve refacers. I have picked up several for very little money. I bought a superflow 110 for cheap as well. Just start looking. You seem to enjoy it and the work looks great, just go to the next level. The way you are figuring out how to do the porting, you will also be able to aquire, repair, and accurize some used equipment. -scott