Disguising a ported head?

[shadow88]

A friend of mine is running a class of oval track racing that requires no porting of any kind. All they do during the tech inspection is look down the throttle body as far as they can with a bore scope and sometimes ask to have the manifolds removed. This isn't a high tech procedure, but they are looking for smoothed out castings that don't look "as cast in appearance"

Is there any sort of treatment to get that "as cast" look back to the ports and manifolds? I was thinking of a very large media sand blast or maybe an acidic treatment?

Anybody know how to make it look like stock?

[spork]

Really? You're asking us to help you cheat?

[cordes]

Really? You're asking us to help you cheat?

Heck yes! Shelby was one of the best cheaters ever.

I think so long as you have some sort of casting line in there you should be OK.

Is this a 2.2/2.5 or 2.0/2.4?

[shadow88]

It's a swirl head on a 2.5 N/A oval track car. I forgot about the casting line! That might be a bugger to reproduce once it's gone.

[cordes]

There's something to be had in the bowls, but that would be pretty obvious too if someone actually looked down there.

[shadow88]

We were going to go all out but keep the stock valve size, maybe even a little more deshrouding of the intake valves. I've looked online and only found that people want to sell me books about how to hide a ported aluminum head.

[turbovanman²]

Try to copy the stock port finish, sand blasting, rough bits etc.

If there only using a boroscope, why not go +1mm valves?

[shadow88]

We might still go with +1's, just for now it's not leaning that way.

Copying the as-cast finish is really tough, maybe with a sand blaster, but what media? I'll probably be able to remove the casting line because these guys probably won't know it's supposed to be there.

What could you port with and still retain the rough finish?

[Dohc Rocks]

port the head, pack the ports with gauze and pour the gauze with muriatic acid for 1-2 days.

Ta-daa !!!!

I built a 2.4 SOHC for a circle track guy in Ottawa,

1998 2.4 stock bottom end
2002 Magnum head with magnum cam (ported and acid treated)
1995 SOHC aluminum intake manifold (ported and acid trated as well)
2002 R/T exhaust manifold

Mopar Perf 1998 DOHC computer with 24lb injectors to cover the 20% displacement increase


Funny thing is despite getting tech'd 4 times they never spotted the oil filter delta that should have given away the 2.4 bottom end.

Needless to say, he did VERY well on the track !!!!

(lulz)

[Directconnection]

Muratic acid is nasty and would destroy the ports in short order if not really careful. I used to use that stuff on big diesel cranks to get the spun aluminum rod bearing material off prior to a polish or regrind... People I have talked to says acid porting does work, but it never totally stops even after neutralizing with water. (cast iron heads) So in time, the heads become junk.

I don't port anymore.... but I'll PM you a simple method that works so well, I couldn't believe it.

[cordes]

port the head, pack the ports with gauze and pour the gauze with muriatic acid for 1-2 days.

Ta-daa !!!!

I built a 2.4 SOHC for a circle track guy in Ottawa,

1998 2.4 stock bottom end
2002 Magnum head with magnum cam (ported and acid treated)
1995 SOHC aluminum intake manifold (ported and acid trated as well)
2002 R/T exhaust manifold

Mopar Perf 1998 DOHC computer with 24lb injectors to cover the 20% displacement increase


Funny thing is despite getting tech'd 4 times they never spotted the oil filter delta that should have given away the 2.4 bottom end.

Needless to say, he did VERY well on the track !!!!

(lulz)

Wow, great suggestion. I'll be keeping this one in mind.

[moparman76_69]

I'll PM you a simple method that works so well, I couldn't believe it.

too good to show it to the rest or us? :eyebrows:

[turbovanman²]

too good to show it to the rest or us? :eyebrows:

Agreed, :(

[shackwrrr]

There are two rules of success:

1. Don't tell everyone everything you know.

[Directconnection]

There are two rules of success:

1. Don't tell everyone everything you know.

Exactly.

But it's not about not sharing it with my turbo-mopar pals... it's because it being posted here means ANYONE can do a search for disguising porting heads and this will pop up. meaning, SBC guys, Toyota guys, etc... anyone that races. how many times have you done a search and come up on the Integra Forums.... or LS2 forums?

[bgbmxer]

Tons of cheating in racing. Build to the grey area of the rules then beg for forgiveness later.

[turbovanman²]

Exactly.

But it's not about not sharing it with my turbo-mopar pals... it's because it being posted here means ANYONE can do a search for disguising porting heads and this will pop up. meaning, SBC guys, Toyota guys, etc... anyone that races. how many times have you done a search and come up on the Integra Forums.... or LS2 forums?

Ok, so I want a PM too, :D

[RoadWarrior222]

Important point, anything that the factory machined should be left bright and shiny, then the contrast sells it.

[shadow88]

Muhahahahaha I have a privlaged PM box hahaha!!

Ok, on the same note, where do I find this acid? Is it sold under a different name? I have a spare reman head here and I'll try both methonds when I get a chance and see how they compare to stock. This late in the year, it might be an over the winter project.

[cordes]

Muhahahahaha I have a privlaged PM box hahaha!!

Ok, on the same note, where do I find this acid? Is it sold under a different name? I have a spare reman head here and I'll try both methonds when I get a chance and see how they compare to stock. This late in the year, it might be an over the winter project.

You should be able to find it at any decent hardware store. It's what people use to clean their cement.

[johnl]

Pool acid too. Watch the concentration though.

Is the acid for porting, or just for restoring the rust?

As I see it, you port minimally, then shot peen to give it the right texture, then use acid to restore the rust. For that purpose, the acid can be diluted, a lot. Then follow with baking soda scrub brushing to neutalize.

[shadow88]

It's an aluminum head, so there's no rust to reproduce. I talked to him today and he says he already has some, so that just made it the cheapest option, and all us TMers like cheap!

[Directconnection]

The acid won't harm steel, yet eats Aluminum.

Another word of caution with the acid, put the bottle in a big ziploc after and seal it airtight even though technically the bottle cap is airtight. Can't explain how, but if you have ANYTHING made of steel near it, the vapors or some $hit goes through the plastic/cap and will rust anything within like 3-5 feet away. Seen it happen to one of our rigid hone heads for the CK-10.

Whomever wants to know my disguising trick can pm me or shadow...

[shadow88]

Oh, that might change things a little....How does one neutralize the acid? Just run water over it for a long long time?

[RoadWarrior222]

Like john said, baking soda, though lots of rinsing is also a given.

[shadow88]

How DID I miss that?