TURBO LS PORTED HEAD TEST. HOW MUCH ARE PORTED HEADS WORTH ON AN LS3, 408 STROKER OR TURBO 4.8L?

[@ragtopdeluxezl1]

It's been several years but I did ask you if I should port, after I had given you what my goals were with what I have you said no don't port as the 863 heads will support those goals. I asked the builder his opinion and he separately said the same thing. He did lots of work on the 6.2 and bore & stroked to 6.8 and ended up at720whp which was more than I expected. So, I considered that good advice Thanks! Now I just lurk at chat as I have no project at the moment.

[@richardholdener1727]

NO NEED TO PORT WITH BOOST

[@ufarkingicehole]

​​@richardholdener1727 . Lol. I am about to send my 243 zo6 heads off to be port and polished. I have the BTR hot rod cam with upgraded head parts to match. I have a& a supercharger (3.8 pulley) coming in shortly and need to order some headers. running a zo6 intake. I also have a 3.42 rearend to swap out with the 2.73. Will porting and polishing the heads do anything worth while at this point? (Sounds like no but just want confirmation) Running stock 2001 c5 bottomend. I am Thinking about meth inj to run cooler. If I said, here sir Richard, i am gifting you a 2001 c5 automatic with stock bottom end..... Any recommendations? Also Should i do anything to the heads at a machine shop? Any recommendations for the stock auto Also... if the engine blows up, i plan to swap all top end parts to a ls2 which will likely be bored and steoked. At that point I will be seeking 4 digit hp numbers I suppose I am asking you what you would do with given situation.

[@stevemoore1148]

@@ufarkingiceholeseek a good therapist

[@chazgeisler6213]

In your given scenario you have a supercharger that is the restriction of horsepower for your setup. If you improve the flow of the heads you will lower the restriction put on the air going into your motor. Is the gain of the ported heads substantial? Not likely to maybe. Given your supercharger has an efficiency rating at certain pressures usually called a compressor map Lowering the pressure will cause your supercharger to add less heat into the air. How much heat? Hard to say. You could go the route of trying to optimize everything and learn a lot in the process ( what to worry about and what not to) Or you could do a bare bones setup and get it up and running. My recommendation from a hobbies who has built multiple 600hp ls engines. Is don’t port the heads. My first turbo ls I ported the heads and now I don’t even worry about it. Too much effort and not enough reward

[@Cwrigh25]

Coming from the Nissan S-chassis world, never had a huge interest in LS engines, but watching you over the years, has showed me how interesting they can be. So many options. I know people love 6.0's but your videos have me thinking cost per HP, a turbo 4.8 running 10psi with a good cam might be the move.

[@daviddavids3468]

GREAT WORK RICHARD, THANKS FOR EXPLAINING EVERYTHING. YOU TRUELLY HELP ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR PROJECTS

[@felonebike9859]

Every car enthusiast should be following you

[@chrisobrien9334]

Thanks for this info mate. Your testing is invaluable to us Helps with selection of products that will work rather than guessing what works.

[@TJSpike]

I love the how much is it worth series.

[@robertwetherington3372]

They are worth good horse power on a na motor but engine masters proved that in boosted applications it didn't matter much 195 cc as cast 235 cc cnc ported made within 10 hp on a boosted motor

[@richardholdener1727]

the difference isn't boosted vs non boosted-it is na power gains then multiplied by boost

[@MississippiDan1]

Woulda been nice to see the stock head ported...

[@Midwestcyclesalvage]

Always great content Richard! Please do these tests with positive displacement setups. Whipple, Magnuson etc.

[@richardholdener1727]

I did it with a Whipple

[@jamesgeorge4874]

There is an LY6 6.0 core engine waiting to be picked up, where I work, thinking I should buy it, it's $750...

[@richardholdener1727]

THAT IS THE SBE SHORT BLOCK WE MADE 1543 HP WITH TWIN TURBOS ON

[@chipcurrey653]

Just remember that the engine is often the cheapest part of the turbo ls build. You still needs a trans, converter, rear end, injectors, turbo hot side, the turbo, and intercooler, turbo cold side and everything needed to install

[@blwnvtwn]

6.0's are pricing up, I think I'd go for that,, as long as you can afford to build it over time, to get your best deals for the above mentioned additions.

[@Justls1v8parts]

This is a real good info video.

[@philmariop]

Headgames was debating this briefly with Flores this past week.

[@Einimas]

My 2 cents is to go with stock or ported heads, depends if you're rebuilding the motor or just boosting it in the first place.

[@Gungie00]

You should try to get a set of the summit 210cc ls heads and see what they make for power

[@loundclear9279]

Hmmm... so from the sock heads 4.8 to turbo was a gain of 188 hp at 7.5 psi then from stock heads to trick flows at 7.2 psi gain 50 hp then add the btr cam gain 72 hp . So in all and im guessing if the 4.8 was ran NA with the trick flows and the btr cam that was good for 80 hp over the na numbers? Cant beat the numbers but im just trying to figuer the NA gains on the 4.8 because at 7 psi 646 hp that thing will be close to 900 at 14.

[@XxMusclecarsxX]

I had my 317 hand ported and flowed about 280cfm

[@richardholdener1727]

I used ported 317s on the Big bang 6.0L that did 1543 hp

[@bertpulaski2492]

Good episode Richard. Can you give the GenV LT’s a little more love though?

[@zacharygratschmayr1100]

Hardly anyone owns those and they are far more expensive

[@chipcurrey653]

No one swaps those. Look at ls1tech they are maybe 1% of swaps. The Camaro is discontinued, the c8 has barriers to modification, the aluminum ones didn't come with power steering, you have to get fuel pressure way up for DI, they have a vacuum pump, rampant problems with camshafts failing, transmissions with no or little after market control options, etc. it's a worse platform overall.

[@jubjub905]

The cost just isnt there yet.

[@speedeetrim4028]

I heard you say "turbo" cam...come on Richard !

[@antuanperez426]

Richard, could you do a test on crush bent exhaust vs mandrel bent? I don’t think it’s a huge difference, but a lot of guys swear there is. Would be great to see real life dyno results

[@richardholdener1727]

WOULD DEPEND ON FLOW NEEDS VS FLOW AVAILABLE

[@johncalhoun8011]

Nice gains

[@Louie88]

I wonder what my combination does I’ve never been on a dyno since my upgrades. Some say I’m in the 700-760hp range but limited by fuel so I have a triple pump setup now and after I finish the install I’ll be working on getting a tad bit bigger turbos. Setup is; 6.0 forged internal lq9 block 9:5:1, 30 over , ls3 CNC ported heads, agp twin turbos 54/56 .82 at 15-18 lbs of boost, id1050 injectors, meth at 7lbs of boost, big intercooler, comp cam turbo stage 1 and now I’m currently installing fore triple fuel pump with rails and all the goodies. I have stock ls3 intake manifold ported and rod mod but I’m going with BTR intake only because I’m in the middle of a wire tuck/ fuse box, Ecu and abs module relocate and I want to tuck the steam ports under the intake. I guess if I had a question it would be do you think I’d benifit from a bigger cam also? And I’m interested in an electric water pump but I’m not sure if that’s something I need.

[@richardholdener1727]

you can max out those turbos with the cam you have

[@Louie88]

@@richardholdener1727thank you, perhaps I should be looking into some bigger turbos. Cheers from CT happy holidays

[@chrisyeahbuuwassrileegowyn9279]

Richard, I was curious if you have ever run a comparison between the same maximum lift at the valve, one from high cam lobe/low ratio rockers--the other lower cam lobe lift/high ratio rockers. Same total duration cams, basically one 'low lift' , one 'high lift' and using the same type of rockers with different ratios to give the same overall 'total' valve lift. The lift at the valve(and speed) would vary at different points due to the cam's lobe profile, as well as well from the rocker's ratio through their pivot. Like a 1.5 vs 1.7+ rocker arms, the more drastic difference the better. So would hp/tq vary, the curve, valve float / sensitivity to spring rate, or a change in stress on parts? Or would it all be a wash? 👉You keep testing, I'll keep watching💥

[@richardholdener1727]

I have not done that exact test

[@davidtappe5337]

Good job

[@michelmolina6476]

Hello, I follow all your videos. Although I do not fully master English, I manage to understand almost everything. I have a 2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD LQ4 4.10 differential 4L80E transmission, I use it for work with a 4000lbs trailer and sometimes I tow 7500lbs. I have 243 heads to install with stock intake and stock exhaust. I would like to install a shaft that gives more power at low and medium revolutions without affecting fuel consumption. Please if you can help me choose what I need and if you sell it, I would gladly buy it from you. Thank you.

[@richardholdener1727]

any cam with alter fuel consumption if it makes more power

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

What is the AFR cover on the timing cover? 11:56

[@SubePelayo928]

706 heads worth the port and polish for a chopacabra cam and TBSS intake on a 5.3?

[@keithsmith9889]

Love this!... and now a question do ported aftermarket higher flowing heads notably increase spoil faster or is it essentially just a wash? Cause either way i would imagine your still pretty much stuck at whatever the flow volume of exhaust is for spoiling. I guess I'm just wondering if you have ever noticed a drastic change in spoiling rate because of heads?

[@richardholdener1727]

if it adds power down low-it helps spool

[@russcole5685]

Hey there everybody. Im in New Zealand. Looking at rebuilding my 5.7 LS1. Thinking 4"stroker with 3.9 bore (383)Ci. Port heads cam ect maybe ITB. Trying to stay N/A. Is 500Hp, 500Ft/lb goal too mych of a dream or possible with my recipe

[@richardholdener1727]

the 500 hp is easy enough, the 500 lb-ft will be difficult

[@russcole5685]

@richardholdener1727 yeah, it's a daily street driver, at 100Kph (60mph) legal limit here, I'm sitting at 1600Rpm. So looking at low to mid range torque, hence the thought of under square engine, more stroke than bore. Would rasing the static compression ratio help. 11:1 or higher. Thoughts

[@crash5811]

He wont respond to "thoughts" 😅 however compression will help w power everywhere, or even better add a positive blower

[@russcole5685]

@@crash5811 thanks. Trying to stay away from forced induction. Cost, extra plumbing, room in the engine bay ect.

[@crash5811]

@@russcole5685 understandable, look into Holdener's older videos and see what u can find for LS1 and other LS motors, ull get an idea for how the engines respond to certain changes and itll coalesce into an idea of what build u want to pursue

[@kthschsslr]

Unrelated, but I can’t seem to find any actual data online. Is there any power gain in a NA application to making the length from collector to X-pipe equal; is it worth the hassle for power or even sound?

[@richardholdener1727]

doubt you would see any

[@Gearsandoil]

You have a store? I didn’t know that.

[@richardholdener1727]

yep-richardholdenerperformance.com

[@joeyjojojr.shabadoo915]

Richard, at what point do you draw the line on throwing money at OEM Aluminum Cathedral Port Heads ? For Example, a Street Machine, 10.5:1 *Normally Aspirated* 4.8L/5.3L/5.7L (100HP/Liter Estimated Goal) ? Is it more worthwhile throwing (up to) $1,000 at your existing 706/862 *or* 821/823/799's _(CNC Porting, Valve Upgrades, Springs)_ or spending $700+ more to get an aftermarket As-Cast Set ?

[@crash5811]

Usually the "line" is at high high horsepower numbers as the deck thickness of the factory heads wont hold the pressure as well as aftermarket heads.

[@richardholdener1727]

NA or Boosted?

[@joeyjojojr.shabadoo915]

@@richardholdener1727 NA

[@dionieebron660]

❤

[@Jay626j]

Richard I've got a 408 with stock rec port heads and a ported LSA blower. Car made 600whp through a 4l60E on 9psi and pump 93 octane. Do you think it's worth the money and effort to swap to some either GMPP cnc rec port heads or any other aftermarket option or should I just bump boost and switch to e85?

[@richardholdener1727]

e85 and more boost-you have more than enough head flow

[@Jay626j]

@richardholdener1727 much appreciated sir. It's been a debate in my head for a while now.

[@chevyrc3623]

Hey Richard I am not sure if you got any but do you or know anyone with some aftermarket SBC cast iron heads like dart 200cc 49cc or other 200cc heads

[@I_like_turtles_67]

Is there a reason you want iron over aluminum?

[@OmniMan_Racing]

Need this test on Ford 4.6 2v