Ford heads question....

[Skee]

I'm having a pretty much stock early model (internally balanced) 460 Ford engine built/machined for my boat, I don't know much about this stuff, but my guy is gung ho on porting the exhaust ports on the heads because of the metal hanging down, for what would have normally been air intake ports for a smog pump engine, granted, mine doesn't have the ports but has the metal hanging down "blocking" the port, he is grinding all of this off, could y'all tell me what the purpose/advantage is of this procedure? I'm not even sure (I haven't asked) if he even has a flow test machine to check them when he's done, but again, my question...What is the help/advantage of this procedure?

 

[Shlbyntro]

it just let's the exhaust escape easier and smoother resulting in more power.

 

[4Waters]

It will definitely make a difference, almost can't hurt anything by grinding the smog boss out

 

[cofooter]

You can find some earlier heads without those or port, either way improves flow!

 

[4Waters]

I'm having a pretty much stock early model (internally balanced) 460 Ford engine built/machined for my boat, I don't know much about this stuff, but my guy is gung ho on porting the exhaust ports on the heads because of the metal hanging down, for what would have normally been air intake ports for a smog pump engine, granted, mine doesn't have the ports but has the metal hanging down "blocking" the port, he is grinding all of this off, could y'all tell me what the purpose/advantage is of this procedure? I'm not even sure (I haven't asked) if he even has a flow test machine to check them when he's done, but again, my question...What is the help/advantage of this procedure?

DOVE heads are the hotrod heads of you can find a set and put cobra jet valves in them

 

[monkeyswrench]

DOVE heads are the hotrod heads of you can find a set and put cobra jet valves in them

This here puts you time ahead. Slightly smaller chamber I believe as well. Better starting point if he hasn't already fired up the grinder.

 

[Neverbowdown]

The DOVE heads are unfortunately getting harder to find but the C8VE or C9VE work just as well. The best thing you can do for a 385 is open that exhaust up, the intakes are already Coke bottle sized and a relatively straight shot. I have personally performed that exact work he is doing to yours and even without a flow-bench you can't go wrong. I would definitely advise him to find the largest exhaust gasket, 429 SCJ or CJ for example, and port match the heads to that gasket as long as the ports on your headers are already larger than your exhaust ports on your heads (Most header flanges are pretty good sized from the factory).
On a side-note, I have come across a pair that had been hogged out to the point they had to weld the hole shut because even though the head was not an injection pump head it had bosses that had the cavity for the injection but there was no hole punched out for the exhaust to through. I'm sure your machinist knows what to look for though.

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Wouldn’t these be a more cost effective route ?

 

[bonesfab]

By the time you do seats and guides and rebuild them correctly you are better off with new aluminum heads. Edelbrock trick flow or Kaase. will probably pick up 50-75 hp on the conservative side and they are brand new castings.

 

[rivermobster]

By the time you do seats and guides and rebuild them correctly you are better off with new aluminum heads. Edelbrock trick flow or Kaase. will probably pick up 50-75 hp on the conservative side and they are brand new castings.

This ^^^

I'm having a pretty much stock early model (internally balanced) 460 Ford engine built/machined for my boat, I don't know much about this stuff, but my guy is gung ho on porting the exhaust ports on the heads because of the metal hanging down, for what would have normally been air intake ports for a smog pump engine, granted, mine doesn't have the ports but has the metal hanging down "blocking" the port, he is grinding all of this off, could y'all tell me what the purpose/advantage is of this procedure? I'm not even sure (I haven't asked) if he even has a flow test machine to check them when he's done, but again, my question...What is the help/advantage of this procedure?

Simply put...

Anything that improves the air flow in or out of a naturally aspirated engine (no blower or supercharger) will help to increase the HP.

In a low RPM bone stock engine, the increase will be minimal.

On a high RPM engine? Porting can make a huge difference.

On a boosted engine? Just change the pulleys to add more HP!

 

[Shlbyntro]

By the time you do seats and guides and rebuild them correctly you are better off with new aluminum heads. Edelbrock trick flow or Kaase. will probably pick up 50-75 hp on the conservative side and they are brand new castings.

not if it's a raw water cooled engine

 

[rivermobster]

not if it's a raw water cooled engine

Meh. They will still outlast the boat.

 

[rrrr]

By the time you do seats and guides and rebuild them correctly you are better off with new aluminum heads. Edelbrock trick flow or Kaase will probably pick up 50-75 hp on the conservative side and they are brand new castings.

I think so too. The technological and performance advantages of the aluminum heads over stock factory castings is huge. The combustion chamber, intake, and exhaust port design and execution is accomplished with the aid of CFD and machining by multimillion dollar CNC equipment.

Other advantages of replacement heads are the improved flow characteristics, new valve train components, particularly the springs and valves, and the machining tolerances on the valve seats, spring heights, and guides.

The manufacturers also face the head and manifold surfaces to dead flat, and their angular relationship to each other is spot on. Most machine shops can't match these accuracies. It's not just a lack of skill, it's because except in rare instances, the equipment the shop has isn't capable of the accuracy attained by the machinery at Edelbrock, Masse, and AFR.

The machined port walls flow better than the iron castings, even after porting and polishing of the stock surfaces, and volumes of the combustion chamber and ports are optimized and exact. In total, the operational efficiency and dimensional accuracy of new aluminum heads compared to a rework of forty plus year old factory castings using legacy machinery and a die grinder makes the choice to purchase new heads an easy one for most users.

 

[was thatguy]

Lol
If you listen to these guys you’ll end up with something like this.

The short answer is yes, cleaning up your exhaust ports is beneficial to engine performance.
Maybe a little, maybe a lot, but it’s better.

 

[rrrr]

Lol
If you listen to these guys you’ll end up with something like this.
View attachment 1271549

The short answer is yes, cleaning up your exhaust ports is beneficial to engine performance.
Maybe a little, maybe a lot, but it’s better.

With labor costs ballooning, bolting on aluminum heads will provide superior performance for not much more money than having stock heads reworked.

 

[was thatguy]

With labor costs ballooning, bolting on aluminum heads will provide superior performance for not much more money than having stock heads reworked.

I’m well aware. But he said it’s stock and he said he has a guy.

(Brodix fan myself)

 

[coolchange]

Yes do it. Intakes make horse power, exhaust makes torque. Make sure to get an early, or “straight up” timing chain also.

 

[4Waters]

Yes do it. Intakes make horse power, exhaust makes torque. Make sure to get an early, or “straight up” timing chain also.

This!!! I forgot about that, good call

 

[AzMandella]

By the time you do seats and guides and rebuild them correctly you are better off with new aluminum heads. Edelbrock trick flow or Kaase. will probably pick up 50-75 hp on the conservative side and they are brand new castings.

Don't forget Tr4ick Flow . I ran them on my 514 and they performed great .

 

[Bigbore500r]

Yes do it. Intakes make horse power, exhaust makes torque. Make sure to get an early, or “straight up” timing chain also.

 

[coolchange]

View attachment 1271644

Intake mods make hp higher up, exhaust mods move torque down the curve. So I was taught.

 

[was thatguy]

Intake mods make hp higher up, exhaust mods move torque down the curve. So I was taught.

You can’t get it in if you can’t get it out.

 

[coolchange]

You can’t PUT it in if you can’t get it out.

Fixed it for ya

 

[Skee]

Yes do it. Intakes make horse power, exhaust makes torque. Make sure to get an early, or “straight up” timing chain also.

I was told the cam was was degreed to 104?

 

[4Waters]

I was told the cam was was degreed to 104?

They make 2 timings sets, smog and pre smog, you want the pre smog or early. If I remember correctly the smog set retards the cam 5°, it's been years so I may be off on that

 

[92562]

I was told the cam was was degreed to 104?

That is probably the intake centerline number but without knowing the lobe separation angle (peak to peak from intake to exhaust) it's hard to say if 104 is good or not. Typically advancing a cam shifts the power range down in RPM and retarding it shifts it higher (often requiring stiffer springs, etc.) Is he going to dyno it for you?

 

[Skee]

That is probably the intake centerline number but without knowing the lobe separation angle (peak to peak from intake to exhaust) it's hard to say if 104 is good or not. Typically advancing a cam shifts the power range down in RPM and retarding it shifts it higher (often requiring stiffer springs, etc.) Is he going to dyno it for you?

Although he has been building and machining (at his shop) for just about 50 years, (the actual owner passed a couple of years ago) and is quite the gearhead, he doesn't have Dyno equipment, he says, because it's such a mild build (not about going fast, just dependability) there is "no need" for me to spend the money on the dyno, unless that's how I want to do my break in period.

 

[Skee]

They make 2 timings sets, smog and pre smog, you want the pre smog or early. If I remember correctly the smog set retards the cam 5°, it's been years so I may be off on that

 

[4Waters]

If the picture represents the product then you are good. Is the cam a flat tappet or roller

 

[Skee]

If the picture represents the product then you are good. Is the cam a flat tappet or roller

Flat tappet and yes, that's the gear/chain assembly I have installed.