Quote:
Originally Posted by Schrade
Thanks there Mr. W...
So DIY porting is not un-common? What safeguards / tips should be taken?
Who here has done this? Your results / experiences???
Are any of the grinding tips 'disintegrate-able'? Like the Dremel polishing / sanding tips? They work PERFECT for prepping my guns for Parkerization, since they gradually disintegrate, and leave a media-blasting etching effect.
Injector boss? Is there no aerodynamic at the boss that assists in atomization / AF dispersal?
IH? Intake ... Head???
No efnfast - not me in the suit. I was prepping for flaming @ the idea of DIY porting. I thought it was done only by a computer with laser-guided grinders...
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Except for Pete's CNC headwork, now available, all of the FBI plenum and IH porting has been done by hand. It would be nice to have a CNC program for the IHs and the plenum. But, far as I know, only Pete can provide CNC ported heads (only).
As for cutting, being that it is aluminum, fluted tungsten-carbide bits, like some of those in my post, is what does the heavy lifting. The final shaping "easy does it" cutting is done with drum sanders on small pneumatic die grinders, as well as an assortment of abrasive "flap wheels" - the smaller (1/2"x1/8" shaft) wheels I used on my Dremel for tight spots and precision work.
Forget about using abrasive stones on aluminum. Trust me. The stones get loaded up with aluminum in a heartbeat.
Here you can see that the finish of the flap wheels turns out very nice. (Also note the small flap wheel on the small die grinder)
As for atomization, I suppose there is some advantage to the bulbous injector bosses at idle or very low speeds. But, without them, mine...
...seems to idle smooth and fuel economy is not affected, from what I can see. (However, my idle was bumped to 850 - up from 750 stock
just for that reason.) And, considering the boss occludes maybe 1/3 of the cross-sectional area of the primary (90) IH runner, the offsetting power increase by removing it waaaay overcomes any perceived idle speed advantages, IMO.
Just keep your cut concentric with the stock bore axis, and you'll stand a better chance of not going astray. And, remember: air columns
hate changes in direction!
I can understand if you want to do your own porting. I did all mine too, just because I wanted to learn more about the LT5. The LT5 wasn't my first rodeo by far, but it was my first aluminum porting attempt. I found it is waaay easier to get into trouble with aluminum, compared to cast iron, due to the fact the aluminum cuts so much easier that one can have an "oops" moment in a fraction of the time it takes with cast iron!
Anywayz... If ya just hafta do it, I can set you up with a "kit" comprised of an assortment of carbide bits and abrasives at cost for around $150. You'll have to select the grider(s) of choice. I'll just say stay away from the cheap crap. I found you really have to be rich to afford cheap tools. And, the frustration of having to work around the compromises the cheap crap brings...just isn't worth it.
P.