Hey guys so I noticed on a set of heads I have theres a small hole between the intake port and exhaust port. Short of welding is there an alternative like some sort of epoxy that would stand up to the temps? There TFSR heads that I got second hand that supposedly flowed pretty good.

#ad

 

There is probably water behind that hole. If so will have to be welded

 

No water. It's in the wall between intake and exhaust chambers.

 

If you are going normally aspirated you may get away with epoxy. If your going to pressurized that intake port I wouldn't trust it.

 

Also wouldn't trust it... over ported, and chances are its thin in other areas as well. I also agree that there should be water very close. If there is no water there, I believe that is even worse as it will be a hot spot with very little material for heat transfer.

 

Are you certain it goes from one bowl to the other? Typically there is water at least partially between the bowls.

 

I'm posative there's no water. I found them by shining a light into each exhaust port.

 

Also I should add that my car is a turbo car and the heads came off a turbo car that was making good power. That car was going 4.80s with something like 28lbs of boost.

 

HAH its just a jerry rigged egr valve. but seriously i would not trust those heads

 

Paper weights imo... the fact that the bowls intersect that far below the seat tells me the porter was sloppy, or inexperienced, and I wouldn't put much trust in the others. Not trying to bad mouth, just pointing that out, as I have overported and hit water years ago...you learn quickly.

 

Can the thickness of the other ports be measured?
In other words if it's only that one that's as this as that would it be worth fixing that one port?

Or going around with a pick and looking for soft areas?

- - - Updated - - -

It is the first cylinder on the head and the others look to have more meat to the eye. Idk.

 

To start i'd take a smaller valve, and use it as a guide to see the contour of the bowl... if it gets larger under the seat you're looking at issues. The runners all you can really do is measure the width with a dividers or something similar.

 

Ok I'll pull them off and check them out again.

Does it make a difference that these were ran and made good power with no issues for over a year?
I mean as far as a coolant port not blowing out or the wall giving out?

 

In searching I'm seeing alot of recomendation for a 2 part product by manley people have even used on the exhaust side of the runners.

Any experience with anything like that?

 

The port looks very clean for something that should have had exhaust entering it.... have they just been gone thru? You can try the epoxy... whats the worst that could happen? We have used some form of two part on the intake side, but never the exh (not saying it won't work, just never needed to).

 

There definitely used. The heads are probably 6 yrs old and we're ported probably 3 years ago. It was an e85 car so maybe that's why the intake ports are so clean.
The hole is much smaller than the pic makes it look. If you shine a light through the actual area that light passes through isn't big enough to let a head of a ballpoint pen through.

 

Actually the original car they were on was a nitrous car that they went turbo the last year or so.

 

I will never be convinced that those heads ran with out a problem. It WOULD pull in exhaust in that cylinder and cause a misfire. Plenty of people have used epoxy, put I have seen alot of those attempts leak, or epoxy break off and cause damage. Have it welded or use them as door stops.

 

The volume of exhaust gas would be so low from such a small hole that the heads likely could have run without obvious issue. The worse case leak would be at highest intake vacuum.

That aside, it isn't a good idea to run something like that. If the wall is that thin it has to be weak. Exhaust port heat from a turbo backing up the exhaust into the port might work away at that area, if it is thin and not a casting flaw.

As for epoxy, what type of epoxy is reliable at turbo exhaust temperatures? I think it is a weld repair myself.

Mostly what bothers me, is if some hack without a real flow bench just didn't grind away for no reason.

 

You stated: "Shining a light, That's how I found THEM"...How many ports have these holes? That area to the valve side of the slot looks odd to me...I'm wondering if that is a welded area already. Seems to be a slightly different color & kind of a lump toward the bottom & either a crack at the top or an area that isn't stuck quite as well? Maybe just the photo? That would concern me for sure...would take a person with quite a "touch" to close that up, being it has to be thin around there.

I did a similar deal on a port into a pushrod hole years ago on an iron head & brazed it up. It's been fine & sees LOTS of miles/heat cycles...not exactly the same thing due to the direct heat & aluminum though. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do. Lorne