Need a valve job, worth porting stock heads?

[Dragonacc]

The heads are coming off my 84 to get a valve job done, I was wondering if it was worth having the machine shop port or mill them while they are off.

[stockhatch]

No, not really. You will have so much money into them if you do that it wont be funny. Might want to mill a tad off of them to get them flat, but I wouldnt go crazy taking too much off. Just get a good valve job and slap them back on.

[Dragonacc]

No, not really. You will have so much money into them if you do that it wont be funny. Might want to mill a tad off of them to get them flat, but I wouldnt go crazy taking too much off. Just get a good valve job and slap them back on.

Thanks, that's what I'll do then.

[frankiesaysrelax]

I wouldn't pay someone to port those heads, but why not do it yourself. At least grind down the thermactor bumps in the exhaust ports, isn't that good for 15hp?

[Zap's 85 GT]

You cant really mess up a set of stock heas by dong some simple port work yourself. Its at least four hours of labor to have it done. At an average of $60 an hour thats a quick $240 for an additional 15-20 HP.

Again, worthwile if you DIY it but not so much to have it done by a shop.

[stockhatch]

I wouldn't pay someone to port those heads, but why not do it yourself. At least grind down the thermactor bumps in the exhaust ports, isn't that good for 15hp?

I dunno man, 15hp sounds kinda high for grinding off thermactor bumps to me... I would say 5 tops....if anything.

[for_eyz]

I like this topic, its always so talked about. Guys pull some really great times with stock heads. The heads on my car are E7s that someone spent way too much time and money working, but that's ok cause I bought it like that. Hmm but if you have e6s I don't know if its worth the work.

[Dragonacc]

Well it looks like my cam may have a flat lobe, I'm going to put this car on the back burner until I get a chance to rebuild the whole engine.

[Zap's 85 GT]

I did much more than just removing the thermactor bumps on my heads and dropped .4 tenths and picked up 4 mph in the quarter mile with no other changes. I spent two hours on each head just profiling and smoothing the contours. Nothing fancy. Just down and dirty with no polishing and a three angle valve job afterward.

[stockhatch]

I spent WAY more time on mine, but Im not saying they are any better than anyone elses. I am a novice porter who followed advice found on the interweb, although the car does feel significantly faster then unported combos Ive driven. When I took the heads to have them milled and get a valve job, the machine shop owner looked at them and said "wow, somebody put alot of time in these things!". If only he knew LOL.