I want proof that head porting is NOT worth it!!!

[DSG2003SVT]

3,000 dollars for maybe 50hp. UM NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!

After you've done a twinscrew, cams, LTs, larger displacement, and all the bolt-ons and you're still looking for power...yes yes yes yes! If you want 550whp and you're happy with that, then there are much more cost efficient ways of getting there than porting your heads. However, when you want to take it as faaaaar as it can be tooken...umm...taken, then it's something to consider.

 

[apache driver]

$1295, $1895, and $2895 respectively. He said he has cores as well if anyone wants to do a weekend swap.

I think you just answered your question of why people say it is not worth it. Most people including myself are not gonna tackle the job of removing and reinstalling the heads. So add labor onto the total price and things will get expensive real fast. I am only looking for 550-600 rwhp and thats just a blower swap away and less than the price of a stage 3 port with labor. Now, going the twin screw route it is only a matter of time before I will have to have a new short block built. When the time comes, I probably will update to the jan 05 heads and have some work done to them.

 

[DSG2003SVT]

Now, going the twin screw route it is only a matter of time before I will have to have a new short block built. When the time comes, I probably will update to the jan 05 heads and have some work done to them.

Therein lies my point, "when the time comes". "The time" that you want more power, "the time" you've got everything apart already, so what the heck. See? I also possibly found something out about the pricing on the stage 3 port, someone on modularfords said that Stiege told them the reason for the stage 3 port costing so much was because they cam with custom cams. I'll check into this Tuesday and let you guys know asap.

 

[IronTerp]

$1295, $1895, and $2895 respectively. He said he has cores as well if anyone wants to do a weekend swap.

Wow.....That's a tad expensive. Here in lies the big issue all over again. bang for the buck.......You're obviously looking to really maximize your horsepower output with a twin screw setup. Seems like if you're willing to spend that kind of $$$, then a well thought through turbo setup should produce results exceeding just about any twin screw combo you can muster up. Have you thought about the turbo route?

 

[DSG2003SVT]

Wow.....That's a tad expensive. Here in lies the big issue all over again. bang for the buck.......You're obviously looking to really maximize your horsepower output with a twin screw setup. Seems like if you're willing to spend that kind of $$$, then a well thought through turbo setup should produce results exceeding just about any twin screw combo you can muster up. Have you thought about the turbo route?

Yes I have, and frankly, I just am not sold on the turbo route. I had a friend's fox body burn to the ground because of a problem with his turbo setup and it seems like people have their fair share of problems with terminators and turbos unless they are really close to the source of the product and get a lot of extra support. I just think I will have more peace of mind with the twinscrew.

 

[VinSVT]

I did heads/cams from HPP... basically about stage 2 cams and stage 2 port... my car makes just about what every other 302 stroker does without them.

It was nice to do them... and the car sounds nice... but I really dont see any gains from it.

 

[VinSVT]

I'd get more into it... but I'm just to tired right now.

 

[DSG2003SVT]

I'd get more into it... but I'm just to tired right now.

I hear ya, LOL. Did you lose any boost? Did you add it back if so? GodStang made 575whp at 17psi on a KB 2.2, then gained +74rwhp by adding a 302 stroker, stage 3 crower cams, and LTs at the same boost. No ported heads in there, but the cams are kinda going hand in hand with that, so I figured that I'd mention it.

 

[Mike K]

DSG2003SVT... good thread.

subscribing op:

 

[DSG2003SVT]

DSG2003SVT... good thread.

subscribing op:

Thanks :thumbsup: . I'm finally getting some good info on a subject that I've been wondering about for a long time. I have another thread with the exact same title in the terminator section of modularfords that is, IMO, getting even better info and results than this one. Check it out.

 

[Mike K]

i cant get on that forum because of the work filters :bored:

 

[CobraBob]

Therein lies my point, "when the time comes". "The time" that you want more power, "the time" you've got everything apart already, so what the heck. See? I also possibly found something out about the pricing on the stage 3 port, someone on modularfords said that Stiege told them the reason for the stage 3 port costing so much was because they cam with custom cams. I'll check into this Tuesday and let you guys know asap.

We all know that porting your heads will result in a power increase. But it comes at a super steep price IMO. I think the point is that there are other alternatives (and much cheaper) if you're looking for more power. The ONLY reason I would even consider porting my heads would be if other power adding mod had been exhausted. Because there are much better bang-for-your-buck mod choices. In other words, it would be dead last on my mod list.

 

[redsvtcobra]

It sounds like these are the dead last mods he is exploring. Sounds like he wants to do EVERY mod you could possibly do. Larger displcement, every bolt-on, upgraded twinscrew, cams. In this case I think the only other thing you could actually do that would gain you an additional 25-50 hp is port the heads. Yes, the price is very steep to do that, but if he wants another 25-50 hp that's his price. Once you get to a certain point, each and every horsepower you gain is a high premium.

 

[DSG2003SVT]

+1 CobraBob. My thread title may indeed be wrong as most people will be happy with 500-600hp and you don't need to port the heads, but there are significant gains to be had by doing so. I guess that's what I was actually trying to see about.

+1 redsvtcobra. When you've done all the easy, cheap, normal stuff, you have to resort to the hard, expensive, different stuff.

 

[thnktwce]

Make it easy. If you believe head porting is a plus for the Terminator then go ahead and do it. Then you can report the results to us. Might be some interested in those results. ;-)

40 rwhp on a dynoject...flowing 340.

 

[thnktwce]

It sounds like these are the dead last mods he is exploring. Sounds like he wants to do EVERY mod you could possibly do. Larger displcement, every bolt-on, upgraded twinscrew, cams. In this case I think the only other thing you could actually do that would gain you an additional 25-50 hp is port the heads. Yes, the price is very steep to do that, but if he wants another 25-50 hp that's his price. Once you get to a certain point, each and every horsepower you gain is a high premium.

Who here has put a set of cams in and picked up horsepower? I mean the only thing you change is the cam and tune. Nothing else that might squeak some power in there. The reason I ask is because when Brian at Total Engine Airflow ported my heads I asked him about cams. He replied with to the best of his knowledge the cams were not worth the $$. According to his "contact" and by contact it is the same man who done the huge head comparison for mm&ff. He also done test on cams in 4v, and cams in the cobra. He said that ford put a good supercharge grind cam, and the only spot the cams fell off were at high rpms. So basically he said a few grand for 10-20 hp. I am curious on this.

 

[DSG2003SVT]

40 rwhp on a dynoject...flowing 340.

Did you do a before and after with the heads only? Any boost loss? Did you have to add boost back to make that power if so? Thanks.

 

[DSG2003SVT]

Who here has put a set of cams in and picked up horsepower? I mean the only thing you change is the cam and tune. Nothing else that might squeak some power in there. The reason I ask is because when Brian at Total Engine Airflow ported my heads I asked him about cams. He replied with to the best of his knowledge the cams were not worth the $$. According to his "contact" and by contact it is the same man who done the huge head comparison for mm&ff. He also done test on cams in 4v, and cams in the cobra. He said that ford put a good supercharge grind cam, and the only spot the cams fell off were at high rpms. So basically he said a few grand for 10-20 hp. I am curious on this.

The typical gain from my cams is 20-30rwhp (with a supposed mild boost drop) from what i've seen. There are a few cases that have produced significantly more, but I don't know if they have produced that power by doing something else that I didn't know about as well. If you loose 1 psi though, and up the boost to get it back, it's like adding 30-40+ hp. Again, this is probably not worht the $$$$ and time to most people, but to me it will be.

 

[thnktwce]

I actually saw .5 lb more but a slow spike up to a full lb then back down to .5 lb more...I thought when you ported it would drop, but it gained.

 

[03yellow]

Yes you will see gains

Yes they will be under 50hp

You also need to watch your compression. I saw a boosted cobra go backwards because the had too much compression after the port.

Have you see our stocK heads?... You could blow a tennis ball thru them!!!