port divider

mluck

Well-known member
i talked to a few head rebuilders and told them i need the port divider welded in place..they were scared to do it because it was cast iron..talked it to a professional welder...same story.for those who had theres welded can you tell what is the best way. the head thats in my car now i put some heat type epoxy and it last for about 3 years before it brakes loose(thats about 1500 mile)...also should the port divider be even or sunk in the head.
 
mluck":3gjhn6kw said:
i talked to a few head rebuilders and told them i need the port divider welded in place..they were scared to do it because it was cast iron..talked it to a professional welder...same story.for those who had theres welded can you tell what is the best way. the head thats in my car now i put some heat type epoxy and it last for about 3 years before it brakes loose(thats about 1500 mile)...also should the port divider be even or sunk in the head.

In my OPIN the port divider needs to be welded in properly this could be by Furnace Brazing or by Arc Welding with the right high nickel content Rod. The port divider needs to be ground and carefully fitted so it stays tight, it should be even or just slightly above the head ports then it can be resurfaced flat. Good luck :nod:
 
... instructions with original Holley port dividers called for an "interference" fit and grinding cast divider to fit with 'a few thousandths' projecting to hold it fast with the 3/4 port gasket seal . I used this with a 170 and Hooker dual out long tubes with no problems for @ 3 years. Adding compressible material (copper/Al) on divider flange-to-face is another interference option.

.. also drilling thru header and tapping the divider for bolt-thru is option.

have fun



my friend/machinist simply tacked divider with mig, hasn't loosened @ 10 yrs.




interesting Craigs List header with integral divider
 
I asked a local commercial welder to put mine in. He does contract work for DOD suppliers and is very up to spec. The guy was leery of the job but did it anyway with great success.

First he ground the divider to fit the opening. Then, instead of running a bead all around the long parts, like you would with caulking, say, he nicked off small triangles from either side of the top and the tip of the bottom leg at the outside. They were maybe 1/4" but no more than 3/8" deep. When it fit nice and tight, he stick welded it in those three places and filed whatever stuck out with a flat file.

The trick was that the divider sat just a little bit proud of the surrounding surface. Something less than 1/32" and no more. Possibly 1/64". That held it in place if the welds should break. They never did, as far as I know. Because I never had any trouble with the thing. The pressure of the exhaustmanifold and gasket held it in place.

Funny that: all those guys up there did the same thing as my guy -- and my guy had never seen the thing before.
 
It took my machine shop a long time to get it right. I think he was just putting the job off, because it looked hard, but that port divider cost me two months. I finally went in and said I need my head back, no worries if you can't do it, and got it back in a week.
 
"...finally went in and said I need my head back...and got it back in a week...."
probably took a wk of hand fitting. Least ways all I could suffer were short spruts @ a time (arthritis?).
Hadda clearence 1 or 2 bolt holes on the CI headers too. (Dat wuz jusss 10 min.)
All's fine now~
 
"" ... probably took a wk of hand fitting. "

I hear ya. Just took me a couple hours. All the welder did was notch the corners.
 
Back
Top