[RustyRedneck]

Hey guys. I'm a beginner engine machinist and am always looking for information on how to hone my craft. What I do now is basic engine machine work. Boring, valve jobs, surfacing, reconditioning rods, polishing cranks (our crank grinder isn't precise enough anymore to grind), replacing valve seats and guides, and stuff along that line. The shop I'm in doesn't assemble engines. We don't run engines either. I'm basically by myself in the shop as the guy that was in the shop before me is now managing the parts store. He's still around for me to ask questions and get help when I need it. Something that I'd like to learn is port work. I don't intend on doing it for customers. Just for myself. Maybe if I get good enough in the future and can be sure of the quality and performance maybe I'd do it for a customer but as of right now, let's assume I know nothing more than how to port match heads to intake manifolds which I don't do for customers either. Where would be a good place to start to learn the concepts and basics of port geometry and design? Is there a good book or website that would help? I know I can always ask questions on here and get some pretty awesome answers but I want to know the background and theory behind it. Going to school for performance engine building wasn't in the cards when I went to college and it certainly isn't now. Thank you in advance!

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

Go to David Vizard’s and Eric Weingarten’s YouTube channels.

Get David Vizard books, I’d suggest starting with How to Port & Flow Test Cylinder Heads.

You”ll need to develop a feel for the difference in requirements for street to full competition heads, most advice and resources are really aimed at competition porting which is not necessarily what is good for a street performance engine.

Then there is learning a little about the science of how true gasses work so you also learn how flows bend across pressure gradients. The difference between atomized and vaporized fuel and how it behaves In the flow.

You need to learn how you can use wall surface treatments to bend flows by dinking with wall finish.

Watch some Headbytes YouTube vids to learn what you should shy away from doing.

Understand that port matching usually doesn’t solve much of the problem. You really need to appreciate that connecting a port that flows 250 CFM max connected to an intake runner that flows 190 CFM max is not a port flowing 250 CFM except when running loose on a flow bench.

You really need a flow bench there are web articles on building your own it’s not that difficult. The expensive commercial benches with computer interfaces save a lot of time but also cost a lot of money. You can do a lot of testing on a home built bench with a pad, pencil and calculator. Not as fast as having a computer puke answers but it works.

Flowbench Page

Tony Drews website.

tonydrews.com

Bogie

 

[lmsport]

if I was starting from scratch, I would build myself a flow bench first. Without testing you just don't know what results you are getting.

 

[ericnova72]

Wealth of info here to, on flow bench fabrication and a good general forum

PTS Flowbench Forum - Index page (flowbenchtech.com)
The archived TractorSport link is also good, the flowbench forum started there originally

 

[RustyRedneck]

Thanks guys! I'll have to check those out!

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

Thanks guys! I'll have to check those out!

I’m sure you’ll be busy reading, If you don’t already you’ll be wearing reading glasses before this is done.

An up front consideration is how to motate cutting tools, note that air driven die grinders need a really big compressor. To the extent of time you need to carve on ports if you don’t have a shop sized compressor with a 60-80 gallon tank and at least a 5 horse motor you will find an air grinder wears out your compressor in pretty short order. This leaves an electric die grinder which is heavier in your hand so the fatigue factor goes up, speed control takes a separate part which can become costly. I use both air and electric, I have an old Craftsman Professional that has served me for 50 years. We’ve been through a lot of motor brushes and a few shaft bearings together. Back in it’s day they were all metal housings With replaceable wear parts.

Most people like carbide cutters they move material quickly. Being a grey beard, yes I have one, I still use stones a lot especially leading into finish work. For Iron typically you use a finer cutter because it doesn’t clog like cutting aluminum will where with aluminum you use a coarse cutter to eliminate clogging the cutter. A trick in aluminum with a stone or a fine cutter is to keep a bar of hand/bath soap handy to kiss the stone or cutter as you work which does a lot to keep the tool from clogging. Fragrance is your choice, I usually use plain white unscented Ivory.

Bogie

 

[AutoGear]

All the previous names are gems.
I'll add some others:
John Baechtel's books ae a good suppliment.
Chad Speier has his fans as well, although his "burr finish all the things" has irritated some people VERY much, sometimes comically so.
Curtis Boggs from RFD
Larry Meaux changed the game when Pipemax became an industry standard.

Part of the learning process is finding the things you DON'T agree with and why. All these men mentioned in this thread are successful in their own spheres.

Knocking out a basic 3 angle valvejob is not competitive anymore. Some traditional folks still jive on that, and a well done 3 angle is legions better than a poorly done 5 angle.

Id pay good money for fussy assembly tolerences and a solid valvejob because these things are often overlooked. Do you know how many bad valve guide complaints and wrecked valves pop up in our community? its kinda awful.

 

[RustyRedneck]

Well it looks to me like I've got some shopping, and a lot of reading to do. Thanks guys for the references. As far as reading glasses, I hope that's a long ways out. Just had laser surgery to fix my eyes 7 years ago. Thanks again! Not to say I wouldn't entertain more options if somebody else has suggestions on where to find good information.

 

[AutoGear]

www.speed-talk.com is a good place

 

[BOOT77]

Read, listen & watch everything, then take what applies or makes sense to you and your app

Not one person I agree with 100% and don't claim to be an expert myself.

Don't get caught up in what PRO's do, as most their customers are on a diff level than the typical diy

Seen more than my share of flowbench experts, that don't keep an open mind to more than just numbers.

PRO porters are just like other areas of the automotive performance industry, you have to be a good salesman LOL

 

[lmsport]

ports for normal street performance may not resemble those for real high output applications---flow at lifts up to 0.400 and Port velocities are going to be more useful than a 330 CFM peak flow at 0.600 lift