LT1FUN

Picked up an Edelbrock TPI base a while back (actually it was supposed to be an Accel/Lingenfelter base but as it turns out, they no longer manufacture their own base and just ship out Edelbrock's version)

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/af...ing-accel.html (Anybody thinking of buying an Accel base... save your money!! (56k warning))

and over the past couple weeks, I've been taking my time cleaning it up a bit before I install it on the car with my new AS&M runners.

The Edelbrock was a nice piece out of the box, but it was quite clear, there was a lot of room for improvement. Having said that, it wasn't until I saw a stock TPI base a few days later, that I realized just how big of an improvement the Edelbrock base was, over stock. Seeing a bone stock TPI base in person for the first time, I have a VERY hard time believing that even with a HEAVY amount of port-work done to it,it still would not come close to an "out-of-the-box" Edelbrock base.

Still, even though the Edelbrock was clearly superior in terms of flow, as I said, there was even more room for improvement so I figured I would take the opportunity to port the Edelbrock base before I installed it on the car.

After finding out that getting it "professionally" ported would cost almost as much as the intake itself, I made the decision to do it on my own. For the record, I've never ported anything in my life and had absolutely no experience what so ever doing this sort of work but trying it out on my own would definitely be the most cost-efficient route to take and at the same time, I admit, I was kinda excited about doing the work myself. Not only would I gain experience and learn a skill that may come in handy later on, but being able to tell people you did all the port work yourself, is pretty darn cool : )

I picked up a dremel for $70 at a local hardware store and a bunch of sanding bits.

Since this was my first time porting anything, I decided that it would be safer to start off with simple sanding bit's so as to not accidentally remove too much material and destroy a brand new intake.

Although it takes much longer using sanding bit's as apposed to something like a carbide bit, the sanding bit's kept me out of trouble and allowed me to take my time.

Anyways, I've only done the intake ports on one side of the base, but I think they came out really good. Better than I expected actually, and I'd be willing to bet the work that's been is about as good as it's going to get. I really can't see how a place like, say, TPIS, could do any better. Best part is, I did it myself and saved a lot of money.

I was able to get about 2 & 3/4 inch's "into" each of the ports. Right out of the box, the Edelbrock has only "slight" porting a measly 1/4" in which you could see from the picture's below. Another thing I noticed is that there's a "lip" around each of the intake ports where there's clearly a huge amount of excess aluminum that serves no purpose but to obstruct air-flow. I basically ground them down which basically opened up each port. It's a very noticeable improvement just by looking at it in person.

Although not very scientific, my testing measure to see how my porting was coming along, was to place a golf ball inside one of the intake ports before, and then after cleaning it out.

You can see from the picture's just how much of an improvement you can make with a simple dremel and some spare time. Out-of-the-box, the gold ball wouldn't even fit. It would just sit there with 3/4 of it still sticking out. After porting, the golf ball literally drops right into each port. Yup. Big difference.

Anyhoo, thought I'd post a few pic's of my progess. I still have the other 4 intake ports on the other side to port out and then start on the exhaust ports afterwards, but I'm enjoying the experience.

Basically, I just wanted to let people know that you don't have to pay a couple hundred bucks to someone else to do port work for you. If you're willing to try it yourself, you can get really good results and save yourself some cash as well as learn something new.

Any comments, advice, or any kind of input in general, is more than welcome.

I'd particularly like to hear from the experienced porters on this forum, to find out what their opinion is on my work so far. (and take it easy on me guy's, this was my first time porting.

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These are pretty self explainitory, but just for the record, the pic's on the left are "stock" while the pic's on the right are after my port work.



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__________________
Follow the links below to get information and see some picture's of the parts I've purchased so far. The car by they way, is an '88 Iroc-Z powered by L98

SLP 1 3/4" Stainless Headers
Borla 3" Stainless Cat-back Exhaust
Holley Billet Aluminum 52mm Throttle Body
AS&M "Big Tube" TPI Runners
Accel/Lingenfelter TPI Intake Base
UMI Sub Frame Connectors
EMP Stewart Stage II Aluminum Water Pump
******
**Porting my Edelbrock base and TPI plenum**
**Exhaust Sound Clip**

LT1FUN

One last thing, I do have a question to all those with experience porting. Is it better to smooth out the entire pathway of each port (from intake straight through to the exhaust port) or is cleaning up only the entrance's/exits sufficient enough?

Like I said, I managed to get about 2 3/4 inches in, but that's as far as my dremel can go. They sell a flexible extention which would allow me to get at least another 3-4" inwards, , but is it really worth it? Would I get much more air flow than what it does now? I'd like to hear some input from the pro's on this.

Thanks in advance.

GregWestphal

I used the Dremel flex shaft when I ported my intake. Here's the URL with some pix and measurements:

http://users.erols.com/gcwestph/Intake.html

I wasn't able to get all the way through, there was still about 1 1/2" or so that was untouched, but I made the same improvements at the entrances that you did.

__________________
Greg Westphal
'87 IROC-Z 355 HSR/A4/3.42 posi
http://www.erols.com/gcwestph/IROC.html

LT1FUN

Yeah, I was just looking at that dremel flex-shaft and it goes for about $50 Canadian. Not too bad I suppose. I'll probably pick one up over the weekend and continue on with my project. I can't wait to get this thing finished so I can start on my plenum...

88GTAChuck

LT1FUN just a quick note on the Dremel flexible shaft. I’ve gone through two already, the shaft that’s inside the flexible hose has broken both times. Once at the base where it meets up with the handle, and the other somewhere in the middle. Now maybe I’m using it wrong, running it at to high of RPM, or just using it for too long of a time. It worked really well, when it was working. I’m now looking at picking up an electric motor and flex shaft from Eastwood. Sure it’s more, but will probably last a lifetime.

madmax

They heat up pretty quick if there's any resistance and you can break it that way. Probably what happened.

88BlackZ-51

Just curious. Why are you porting the base? What is the motor combo going to be?

rel3rd

LT1FUN, if you're using sandpaper rolls, you can buy longer mandrels that would easily allow you to go in far enough on each side to finish the whole intake, instead of just about 3" into the port entrances. IMHO, what you have done so far looks nice, and it'd be a shame to quit before you're done. One suggestion I would offer is to bolt up a new runner on the "finished" side of the base and you can see through it to make sure the ports are lined up nicely. Same goes for the plenum...if you bolt up one runner you can see it's fitment by looking through the opposite side...then just adjust accordingly.

As rough cast as the base is internally, I wouldn't call it "done" until you have the entire inside finished.

p.s. Don't pay attention to 88BlackZ-51
...he thinks EVERYONE needs a MiniRam, StealthRam, or SuperRam.

__________________
Bob L.
2000 Camaro SS

88BlackZ-51

I dont think that at all Big Bobby Boy! Long tubes are fun as hell on the street. Get you facts straight before you beep off!
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I dont think that at all Big Bobby Boy! Long tubes are fun as hell on the street. Get your facts straight before you beep off!

rel3rd

Sorry, they are straight, but I didn't mean to strike a nerve...
I was just going by every TPI intake related post (on every forum) I've ever read of yours, including numerous ones directed towards me...

You question everyone (including myself) who takes the time to try and improve what parts they have already chosen to use. Obviously, LT1FUN has already committed to a "stock style, long runner" intake setup, and is taking the time to clean it up, because the runners (internally) are very rough "as-cast"...just like the pics clearly show. Whether he runs his setup on a 305, or a 434, you weren't "curious"...Fact is, your next reply would have been WHY he should use a different intake...

Obviously, you took my joking reply above, to heart...
I don't want to crap up LT1FUN's thread.
The man asked for advice about his portwork, which I offered.

Orr89RocZ

i did the exact same thing as you...used a dremel and golf ball and opened up the accel base ports. i only got about 3inches in...and thats it. I'm sure it helps some but the idea of porting is to open up everything...

read this
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tp...+base+manifold (Base porting)

rel3rd

Exactly.

BTW, Nice link Orr89RocZ

Here's what I did to my Edelbrock base. Keep in mind that this was before I got my new heads, so that area (where intake meets heads) wasn't done yet. I also hadn't gotten any runners when pics were taken, so that area (where runners meet base) is also incomplete, in these pics...

Attached Images

	IM002042.jpg (59.8 KB, 163 views)
	IM002043.jpg (51.4 KB, 102 views)

1989GTATransAm

The first picture in the above post points out the problem area of the aftermarket TPI intake manifolds. Just inboard of the injectors. That area needs to be opened up as much as posible as it has the smallest cross sectional area of the runner.

rel3rd

Mostly concentrating on the "roof", and not the floor of the runner, correct?

BadSS

Correct,, do no more than smooth the first three inches of the floor at the head exits. Concentrate on the outside wall and the ceiling of the head port exit. After about three inches in,,, it'll be fine to grind at the "floor".

I'd suggest getting a metal bit for the dremel and the wand so you can take more material out quicker. It's time consuming enough with the bit,,, much less the barrel rolls.

Here's a VERY crude drawing,, not to scale or extremely accurate on the orginal port shape or representation of the air flow and what happens,,, but I suck with electronic drawings,,,,, it's Super Bowl Sunday and it's about kick-off time. Still,, it'll give you an idea of the areas to work with and why the stock based TPI intake flows well by itself, why the runners flow well by themself,,, and why the flow drops so badly when you bolt everything together.

EDIT: The areas outlined for porting are over exaggerated in the drawing. The casting is a little too thin,, especially the stock base to skew the ports that much, but it does show what you want try to achieve.

Good luck.

Attached Images

TPI - Porting.JPG (61.9 KB, 238 views)

rel3rd

Actually, the original poster is the one who can't get into the ports more than 3", and is using sandpaper rolls, but you answering my question definitely helps us both.

I have several carbide burrs. I just needed a tad more info on where to make the best use of them. Thanks for the info!

1989GTATransAm

BADSS has it dead nuts. The only way to go further is to add material to the outside of the roof and grind away until you get the proper CSA. You will be way ahead no matter what by following the posted diagram.

88BlackZ-51

Whatever makes you happy.


BTW, Good porting job LT1. The low end on the street is so much fun!

rel3rd

Thanks guys. I did do a little more work to mine after pics were taken, but not enough, for sure. I'm sure your and BADSS' advice will help not only myself and LT1FUN, but whomever else reads this thread.

__________________
Bob L.
2000 Camaro SS

Frank 84 Bird

Is it really nescisarry to to go as big as the golf ball size in the entrance. The mr gasket 146 gaskets match pretty close on my edelbrock intake. Or is it better to just smooth out everything and work on the areas that BADSS mentioned.

__________________
1987 T/A 350 Trick Flow Heads, Hot Cam,Edelbrock Base, Semi Siamesed Edelbrock Runners, TKO600 Trans, 3.73's, Sportlines

1989GTATransAm

It's all about cross sectional area. One should know the minimal cross sectional area inside the intake port of the heads they have.

Ideally you want the cross sectional area of the intake manifold to be larger than the minimum CSA of the head. You don't want the choke point to be the intake manifold.

However that is the situation at hand with most aftermarket performance heads and the Edelbrock TPI intake manifold. So the runners in the intake manifold need to be opened up as much as posible to close that gap.

A slight taper of say 2% will help flow in the intake runners. The larger end is at the runner side. Also the port opening at the head should be slightly smaller than the opening in the head.

Orr89RocZ

yep, called the venturi effect... it will actually increase flow due to pressure differences in the flow stream when its tapered like that

3rdgenZ

i would say this one almost needs to be stickied.

to every one that put info in.

LT1FUN