Porting na head

[Deathstar]

Thanks, I will checkout the PTCrew site. Sounds like you have a real setup on your car. You are not one I could run down. I have a full race eagle talon for the track. I race SCCA road races with it, lots of fun. So I know the true power of a $20k turbo motor.

The PT is my street mobile with extra power to match its good looks. Even if I dropped in a blown V8, there will still be someone who could kick my A$$. I will never be the fastest, but then I will not be the slowest either now.

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by Deathstar

Thanks, I will checkout the PTCrew site. Sounds like you have a real setup on your car. You are not one I could run down. I have a full race eagle talon for the track. I race SCCA road races with it, lots of fun. So I know the true power of a $20k turbo motor.

The PT is my street mobile with extra power to match its good looks. Even if I dropped in a blown V8, there will still be someone who could kick my A$$. I will never be the fastest, but then I will not be the slowest either now.

Yeah, love my car. It's only 336 hp, but it's really quick and more than enough for the street. You are right, there is always somebody out there than can beat you, but I don't care. Sounds like your Talon is a beast. Must be great fun to drive. I'm going to visit a friend, in a couple of weeks, who is running a '03 PT GT with 400+ whp. Puts a big smile on my face. There is a guy at PT Crew who has a PT GT running 600+ whp. Check it out, he goes by the name of Total Sleeper on the forum.

[Deathstar]

Just sent the TB to Howell for porting and ordered a Apexi neo, will have both installed in a few weeks, then off to the Dyno!

[Teekypt]

Originally Posted by Mean Green

There is a guy at PT Crew who has a PT GT running 600+ whp. Check it out, he goes by the name of Total Sleeper on the forum.

[THS_Cruiser03]

Oh that's great news man! How large are you going? What is the current TB size (40mm?) Really looking forward to your dyno numbers..!

In other news on my project na, I've been making some calls and doing some research. The next two weeks is when I'm planning to make the mods, but as I'm learning more about this I'm starting to get scared. Here's why...

I found a shop (about 45 minutes from home) that has connections with a race shop that does head work. He says they will do the .020 decking, runner matched porting, a new valve job, and re-assemble the head for about $500.

However when I talked to Jerry (in the tech. dept. not customer service!) from Crane Cams, he indicated that I might want to be careful about who does the porting work. If it's not done correctly it could actually HURT my HP rather than help it, apparently the flow for each chamber has to be balanced or else the motor won't run properly at high RPM's (which cuts HP). He's heard some horror stories.

Also, he said since I'm not planning to race it very often he thinks doing the porting might not be that helpful. Porting is really best above 4,000 RPM as the engine breathes better, but real HP and torque comes from the cam lift. He suggests I should save money on the porting, add the cams, do the decking and just add some underdrive pulleys to give me a similar high RPM benefit without the risk of someone f***king up my cylinder head flow.

If something does go wrong in the porting job it will cost me a TON of money to get the head pulled again and fixed/replaced. Which is a cost I doubt I can get the race shop to cover even if they do something wrong.

Did your shop in FL give you pre and post flow bench numbers on your head work? I've been told that is the only way to prove the work was done right. This came from Tom down at Champion Racing Heads in FL, who I spoke to yesterday, and he was reccomended by Crane as one of the best in the business when it comes to head work.

I'm looking for about 30 HP, in the end. So what are you're thoughts about this? Did you have any of the same concerns? Did your SRT buddies show/tell you anything that eased your mind?

I'd appreciate your input.

Tom

[Deathstar]

You are correct when saying getting bench flow tests are the only way to show that the porting was successful. I used a machine shop in Appoka, just north of Orlando. It is a small shop that has done a lot of high horsepower WRX's, SRTs and others. They did not benchflow the head, but we did not make big changes to it either. Primarily, cut the port to match the intake, smoothed out the metal and the like. I trusted that they knew what they were doing and my experience in racing heads, those minor changes are always good ones.

I am porting the TB to 55mm. I am not sure what the true measurements are for my TB is to begin with. There is a internal sleeve where the butterfuly closes. I thought the stock bore was 47mm, but I have heard that in some NA cars built in 06 and up, (mine is a 06) they have a 52mm bore. If so, some may not think a 3mm additional bore is worth it, but actually it is. I don't have my numbers anymore but when I calculated it, a 55mm could flow a max of 289hp at the crank on our motor. Someone else may be able to correct me on this.

Once I get to the dyno, I think the real numbers will show. (Good or Bad). Only a few more weeks away.

[THS_Cruiser03]

Hey Deathstar,

Just wanted to ask you for an update on your PT situation....? How does the car drive/feel today? Any new mileage numbers to talk about?

I got my Crane #10 cams last week and my PT just got dropped off at the shop to get the head pulled. Hopefully tomorrow I can take the CH to the race shop where they will send it out for CNC porting and decking.

I have to tell you man, I'm really kinda scared of all this. My Car's engine is going to be open for about a week (shop says 7 to 8 day turn around to get the head back) in humid weather. And I'm not sure the porting will be worth the money...I'm reading lots of stuff about zero improvements on inlet parts for PT's....

http://www.kennebell.net/techinfo/do.../ptcruiser.pdf

Hopefully there will be some real benefit I can use. I know the cam's will rock and I will totally feel it, as well as the increased power from bumped compression.

You know what I mean? She's run like a champ for over five years, and I don't want it to start nickel and diming me for a 20 HP increase.

Tell me I'm doing the right thing....! She'll be better right? Yours is right? I can't afford to f*ck this up, the wife will kill me!

Tom

[Deathstar]

I think you are on the right track. My experience comes from racing 4cy turbo cars in SCCA. I race a track only Eagle Talon in the SPO class. That does not make me an expert in anything for sure, but I am experienced enough to do some research, just like you are doing.

I still have not recieved my ported TB from HowellAutomotive yet, getting ready to call them today to get the status. As soon as it comes in, I will be going to a good dyno to test the results. I think most people make their comments from what they feel in the seat of their pants. I believe dyno numbers and track times are real measures.

Note: I broke some bolts on the cams caps and the valve cover. Looking at them, I can see that they were designed to be stretched even though I could not find any info about that. Plan on buying new bolts or insist that the shop put new ones in. I of course replaced the head bolts but I did not replace all of the cam cap bolts, hope I do not regret it.