Head Porting question

[sgt_g]

OK, so I did some searching and everything i could find said that porting a head if you where running a stock turbo was a wast, but I never saw proof why. I have major issues with that method of thought. Everything i have ever known, read, learned ETC always says the better the head flows the more power is made, now clearly there is a point when you can go to big and you lose velocity but i have serious doubts that the stock AWM head or even going with an AEB head will flow so much that the stock KO3s will lose velocity.

I'm looking for someone that has done both and or has the know how to calculate how much the KO3 flows versus head flow and can do the needed math to calculate what the airflow should be on the head in order for the k03s or even a k04 should be for it to reach max efficiency. I have a friend that is very knowledgeable in head porting and knows what he is doing that will port a head for me for free. He just doesn't know Audi stuff at all so need to tell him what size to make the ports ETC. So for me if i can get that info its free power. Can't beat that. :)

[edelgado]

Im assuming you mean like a "port n polish" I did quite a bit research on this and from what I read there really wont be any noticeable power gains. I was however warned not to port n polish the intake side as I could possible alter the predetermined volume of air in each cylinder. In other words each cylinder could end up with different amount of air due to turbulence and whatnot. Anyhow I grabbed the dremel and went to work on the exhaust ports. You can see in this pic the first exhaust port was opened up a little only to match the gasket. DO NOT go any bigger than the gasket. I would think that your best bet is going for a AEB head and Intake mani along with port n polish on the Exhaust ports. Sorry if im not much help.... BTW this is a AWM head.

[sgt_g]

IDK that just doesn't sound right to me. Are the 1.8T motors real that good? For example I used to be into modding Dodge neon's (don't laugh they make excellent Auto-x cars) anyway take the 2.4 motors found in the SRT-4 for example they have a slightly larger turbo then i think a k04 stock and make around 230 stock CHP, if you take and just Port and polish the head you gain like 30CHP. Thats about what i would expect on a turbo car. I have seen pics of the intake ports on the AWM motor there really small. ( can't see the pics you posted from work but i will take a look at them later) Guess i will have to do the math myself. I just figured someone would have done this work already. Guess i will try searching Vortex too.

[terraflata]

IDK that just doesn't sound right to me. Are the 1.8T motors real that good? For example I used to be into modding Dodge neon's (don't laugh they make excellent Auto-x cars) anyway take the 2.4 motors found in the SRT-4 for example they have a slightly larger turbo then i think a k04 stock and make around 230 stock CHP, if you take and just Port and polish the head you gain like 30CHP. Thats about what i would expect on a turbo car. I have seen pics of the intake ports on the AWM motor there really small. ( can't see the pics you posted from work but i will take a look at them later) Guess i will have to do the math myself. I just figured someone would have done this work already. Guess i will try searching Vortex too.

A 1.8T with a chip should make around 230CHP so dont go thinking SRT4's are special. The thing is every head is specific to what you want. Porting a head for drag, and porting the same head for something else isn't going to yeild the same results. It is sooooo specific. Which is why it makes it so hard to know who to trust your head to. A specific engine's head can be tuned for a race specific port or a street specific spec. Head work is so specific. Don't get taken by some guy who says he will give your 30+ more WHP when you don't know where that HP will be made at! Powerband is more important than peak HP!

It's that exact reason why large cylinder/displacement engines still exist. Anyone can make 1000+HP with a 4 cylinder. Making it withing a healthy powerband is another thing!

[2001A4QUATTRO]

Ask me how I know... My 1g eclipse was hand ported from head to turbo by a friend of mine... Top end improved and the mid range seriously suffered.. NEVER again. Car made more peak HP and TQ but all up top... Nice job explaining Terraflata

[terraflata]

No problem.

To the OP, the best thing you can do is research head porting as much as you can, you will learn about velocity and flow, different techniques and such. No matter what kind of work you are getting done by someone else, knowing what the job entails usually helps you identify whether or not that person is compotent. When I was looking for someone to do head work for me, I came across a guy who said he did all sorts of head work for Corvettes, Mustangs etc. He talked about opening up my ports to allow more air (CFM), and when I asked him about velocity he didn't even know what I was talking about. Obviously I didnt do work with him. You don't need to know how to do it, just know what they are SUPPOSED to know and you should be alright.

[sgt_g]

Thanks terraflatta that's some of what i'm looking for. The guy that said he would do the work from me is not just some back yard mechanic. He is a certified mechanic and has done head work that yielded more power (227WHP) none turbo on a 2.0 SOHC Chrysler motor then anyone else ever has. He spent hours upon hours cutting up heads and calculating how to shape and port the head to obtain those numbers. I have read that the ports on the old 5 cylinder heads where shaped poorly and best way to fix that was to fill and then grind down to shape them correctly. does the 1.8 heads share this problem? What should be done to these heads to improve the flow? How is the shape of the ports on the 1.8T heads? it looks like I'm looking at a head gasket soon so doing this now is worth it for me. I have read that over-sized valves is one of the best things you can do is that correct?

edit: What i'm really trying to find is people that have ported the heads and what kind of results did they get? How did they port them, how big did they go and where was the gains where in the RPM range and what kind of powerband resulted etc. as long as these motors have been around i can't believe that kind of info isn't out there.

[terraflata]

The reason that info isn't out there is because each head job is done according to each engine and application. A guy with a K04 isn't going to have the same ported head as say someone running a 2.0 and 35R. Even if you found the infro on one engine it will most likely apply to you as the mods to the engine are always different. I'll talk to my head guy and ask him if he has any tips or advice for someone who wants to take on the porting themselves. He is very good, and actually does the machine work and head work on the fastest stock ECU 4Cyl Golf in North America. (AutoExtreme Golf 9.19@162mph) Like I said I shopped around.

My advice would be just to send your head to him and be garaunteed happiness with the work but perhaps it is not in your budget. Let me know what your mods are if you want me to ask him.

[stone77]

Have any of you seen or heard or any decent gains from porting a SOHC I-5 2.3? thanks for your input. this is my first audi and i am trying to get a little more power without going to a lot of extreme.

[Watson]

I was thinking about doing the exhaust port on my 1.8t head as well, since I am changing my head in the next month I thought it may as well be a good idea, I wasnt planning on much at all but I thought a little bit may help the turbo spool a little earlier.