Raptor's Port and Polish
 

Ok guys, I plan on doing a How-To when I get this all said and done, so this is just a follow-along thread.

Yesterday I did what I could by reoiling my K&N and also cleaning out the TB. Today I bought some rubbing compound and polishing compound, after the P&P so smooth things out some.

Also, I just got back from town. I went to AutoZone, Advanced, and even Lowes and none of them had the flap sanding wheels. So I'm looking online right now. The prices are all good (3-5 bucks) but most places are trying to charge me $15 for shipping....

Anywhos, I found a site, but lots of different sizes.... anyone care to take a look and offer an opinion? I know I need 3" wheels, but are those all bit sizes?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#sanding-flap-wheels/=2elura

Also, I will be going with 60 & 180 grit, not the 120 as per Tally's write-up.

-Alex

Update Uno!!!

Update: After a little research I bought the flap sanding wheels from McMaster-Carr (as referred to me by The Kent). Here's the details:

Products
Line Quantity Part Number Description Unit Price Total Price Ships
1 1
Each 4734A475
Aluminum Oxide Shank-Mount Flap Sanding Wheel 1/4" Shank, 3" Diameter, 1/2" Width, 60 Grit (Same as 4734A793)
$6.40 $6.40 Monday morning
2 1
Each 4734A914
Aluminum Oxide Shank-Mount Flap Sanding Wheel 1/4" Shank, 3" Diameter X 1/2" Width, 180 Grit (Same as 4734A793)
$6.40 $6.40 Monday morning
Merchandise Total $12.80

Now we wait for them to arrive and I'll begin another one of my famous Raptor's How-To's!

What are you P&Ping?

i will be P&P'ing as well as half-shafting my Throttle Body. and if i have time, i might even do my intake manifold

Stuff come in tonight, so I think I'm going to do it tomorrow after work (get off at 2pm EST). if anyone has any insight on getting the intake manifold off, i'm all ears!

What exactly is Port and Polishing?

With the issues with the V6 intake gaskets, are you sure you want to mess with it?

:smoke:

I don't think I'd want to take it apart if it's not already broken.

Just my $0.02... :bandito:

Alex, I wouldn't do the intake. Unless you go out and buy a new set of gaskets, and know exactly what all we be needed to pull the intake, I'd for-go a P&P on the intake.

dont be jealous just because yours is plastic :p

jokes aside, you guys are right- just sitting outside looking at it pulling everything off seems to be a bit of a hassle. has anyone here pulled off the aluminum intake manifold before? i'd like to get a process because this is something i eventually want to do.

but anywhos the truck is late, it should arrive any moment now and ill be off.

porting is making the opening bigger. you use a dremel-type cutting tool to open the mouth of the TB bigger to allow more air and polishing it would make it smoother, so less parasitic drag on the sidewalls.

That is the theory, but I've seen parties with advanced knowledge report that a shiny surface does little if anything to promote air flow.

Basically, there is a 'boundry layer' - a thin area of turbulent air near the surface, and it matters not whether the surface is polished smooth or not.

Bottom line is it may not be worth the trouble to polish.

If you want to flow more air, make the hole bigger. But remember that in many cases automotive, air velocity is important, too. So there can be a downside to going overly large.

well then, looks like I'll be a guinea pig. i wish i had access to a dyno. but anyways, the UPS guys JUST got here and as im collecting my tools i find my friend borrowed my sockets so i have to run into town to get them. BBL

-alex

Hey Raptor talk to Superbeast 4.2 F150 he has a 97 that he has P&P TB and port matched upper and lower intakes...... even has a how to on the v6 site the link is in his sig

well.....im done. i even put some buffing compound and polishing compound when i finished and on my CAI tube.

Pros and Cons.....

Pros: On the initial test drive my "seat of the pants" dyno yielded considerable gains. 1st gear gets more low-end power, 2nd and 3rd's top-end are in love with me now.

Cons: Idle dropped from 850 to 750....ehhhh.....and my SG2 shows a TPS reading of 22 (should be 20). I took the buffer over the butterfly, so i may have knocked something out of alignment. Its not DIRE but not something I want permanent either. but the gains are noticeable. I'm no HP expert (as many of you know) but I'd have to say AT THE MOST is maybe 5 hp.

For the reasons associated with the risk in maybe screwing something up, I opted out of doing a write-up. I'm sure if anyone wants to do this later on, its pretty simple, but its just "iffy" right now until I can bump up my idle...

Note: the risk in doing this IMO is not great enough unless you are going "all out" I should say such as CAI, efans, UDP, exhaust and maybe turbo. doing this to a stock engine probably wont be worth it.