The Secret to Airflow
The Secret to Airflow
Luke Wickman - Performance Cylinder Head Specialist
Staab Machine Inc.
Know your opponent. A common misconception people have, is that air flows like water. Sort of, but not quite. Imagine if you will, that the air molecule is like a tiny ball bearing. It rolls over smooth surfaces, skips over gaps, and bounces when it hits a wall. Now imagine billions of these tiny bastards. They don't just flow in one direction at one speed, they fill in the inconsistancies in your port and slow or come to a stop, while the air with less resistance flows over it. Often this air will be pushed up higher in the port and skip over the quick turn, only effectively utilizing part of the valve. The key to maximizing the potential of a port, is to straighten the air out so that the velocity is even on all 360 degrees of the valve face. On some ports this is easier than others. I build heads for diesel pulling tractors, and they all have swirl ports. Do you want to talk about pulling your hair out? They are the most difficult heads to master, but I have a trick. I don't like to give away my secrets, but I'll give you a clue, you have to tilt the port in the direction of the swirl. Porting is an artform. It's like sculpting with a die grinder. 80% of people can do it, but the results are ummm.... not guaranteed. 15% spent enough time doing it to produce professional results, and then there are the final 5% of us that can actually SEE the airflow. See the resistance, and produce masterpieces that outflow the competition and win championships. A great cylinder head is a compilation of many factors. Ports that not only flow, but flow at a proper precentage of split between the intake and exhaust to optimize the amount of lift and duration possible with your cam. Valves that are lightweight, and springs that produce an amount of pressure capable of closing your valves without floating them at the RPM range your power band lives at. Then a valve job of exacting tolerances so it survive, and you have a winning head combination.
Luke Wickman - Performance Cylinder Head Specialist
Staab Machine Inc.
Know your opponent. A common misconception people have, is that air flows like water. Sort of, but not quite. Imagine if you will, that the air molecule is like a tiny ball bearing. It rolls over smooth surfaces, skips over gaps, and bounces when it hits a wall. Now imagine billions of these tiny bastards. They don't just flow in one direction at one speed, they fill in the inconsistancies in your port and slow or come to a stop, while the air with less resistance flows over it. Often this air will be pushed up higher in the port and skip over the quick turn, only effectively utilizing part of the valve. The key to maximizing the potential of a port, is to straighten the air out so that the velocity is even on all 360 degrees of the valve face. On some ports this is easier than others. I build heads for diesel pulling tractors, and they all have swirl ports. Do you want to talk about pulling your hair out? They are the most difficult heads to master, but I have a trick. I don't like to give away my secrets, but I'll give you a clue, you have to tilt the port in the direction of the swirl. Porting is an artform. It's like sculpting with a die grinder. 80% of people can do it, but the results are ummm.... not guaranteed. 15% spent enough time doing it to produce professional results, and then there are the final 5% of us that can actually SEE the airflow. See the resistance, and produce masterpieces that outflow the competition and win championships. A great cylinder head is a compilation of many factors. Ports that not only flow, but flow at a proper precentage of split between the intake and exhaust to optimize the amount of lift and duration possible with your cam. Valves that are lightweight, and springs that produce an amount of pressure capable of closing your valves without floating them at the RPM range your power band lives at. Then a valve job of exacting tolerances so it survive, and you have a winning head combination.
Labels: Engine
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