This spring I plan to replace the seals on my engine while installing a cam. While I am at it, I will be porting the intake some more and will be touching up the heads, following the guide at http://www.sa-motorsports.com/diyport.htm Is their anything else I should do to the heads when they are off? I am not going to buy new heads or pay a shop to do anything. Thanks. Any links to pictures of other port work would be very helpful.

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87 IROC-Z 305 TPI gears, exhaust, converter
14.70 at 94.1 mph with 1.90 60'

 

Im curious about this too, I think I might be doing it this summer as well. I was wondering if I should do anything to the springs and valves?? For a $200 I can get a set of TPI 305 heads, which I heard are better than the 305 TBI heads.

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Godti
'89 Trans Am (Red)
305 TBI 5spd

 

I forgot to mention I will be replacing the springs, retainers, seals and locks etc... I am looking for more info on what else should I port, if I should at all??

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87 IROC-Z 305 TPI gears, exhaust, converter
14.70 at 94.1 mph with 1.90 60'

 

That Standard Abrasives page is an excellent resource. Those guys have seen it all and have a reasonably good idea of what generally works and what doesn't.

The biggest payoff is usually in cleaning up the bowl area, right behind the valve, where the original machining consisted of just running some kind of boring tool partway down in there. It leaves all kinds of steps and weird shapes right there, which cause turbulence and restriction. The next biggest improvement is the "short-side" radius on the intake side, where the floor of the port makes a 90° as it comes to the valve. Beyond that, a little smoothing of the valve guide boss and removal of any parting lines or other casting imperfections in the ports are about all you should do to them. It is a good idea to smooth the chambers, especially at the edges where the machined deck surface meets the chamber; a sharp edge there can glow red-hot and promote detonation.

Gasket-matching is usually not worth the trouble on a set of stock heads, and there is danger of going too far and hitting the water jackets or head bolt holes or pushrod holes. Don't get too aggressive.

Get some valve lapping compound and make sure the valves all seal as well as possible after you finish your porting job. It wouldn't make sense to put a set of leaky heads on a motor, after going through the motions of improving it.

If the heads are fairly clean to begin with, you can just quarter car wash them when you're done, pay special attention to the seats to make sure all the grinding compound is gone.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

 

Invest in a CCing kit. Just to keep all of the heads equal. Also get some stainless, swirl polished valves for replacement. Use springs that were made for your cam. I can't stress this enough. Also, get a installed height spring micrometer, and some shims. You can squeeze a couple of horses and make your combo just that much more efficient.

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'82 Firebird, dead stock, 9 bolt disc rear, over 200,000 miles and still going strong, more to come...
http://www.spinfrenzy.com/stingerssx...easures.html#4

 

Standard Abrasives also offers a great kit for porting cylinder heads and intake manifolds. I just ordered their deluxe kit from PAW. It has all the tools you need to port cast iron and aluminum parts in it. Cost me $39.99. You need the deluxe kit if you plan on porting any aluminum parts.

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."