Technical Anyone have plans, or know where to find them, for a DIY cylinder head flow bench?

I’d like to get a set of heads I ported some 20 years ago, checked out.
Googling found nothing near me. Same state, but 6/7 hour drive.
If parts/pieces can be put together and be cost effective for me, I figure it might be a good project to make.
Just for grins mostly.
Thanks

 

Dont remember which one but mid 90's one of the car mags had a build your own flow bench wright up.

 

You're going to need at least 9 vacuum motors and 2 manometers. Then you'll need a set of calibration plates. For that type of investment, I'd speculate you can buy a decent used flow bench. I'd be shocked if there isn't a place near San Jose that has a flowbench. Did you call Gromm Racing Heads or Lynn Auto Machine???

 

Yes, there was an article in one of the mags, probably R&C , Street Rodder, or HRM, that had detailed plans. I have copies in my files, but am mending from a bike crash and won't be able to search for a few weeks until I heal. It used a couple of shop vac motors as I recall. If you still need plans in six weeks PM me. I'll be able to search it out then.

Another alternative: Many local junior colleges or trade schools that have an auto shop program have in-house flow benches. The equipment in these colleges is often under utilized That is to say, students learn flow testing, do a flow test ***ignment, then move on to some other aspect of their training. Oft times the bench is just sitting there unused. You may be able to introduce yourself to the instructor, tell him/her your plans, and he'll let you get on the bench after hours to do your testing. Another alternative would be to sign up for a course there. Worked for me. Made a lifelong friend too.
I was always thrilled to meet a student with a keen interest in what I was teaching and would bend over backwards to
help the kid keep their enthusiasm.

Another good idea is to get a book on the subject. Bill Jenkin's book on hot rodding the SBC comes to mind as an example.

Good luck with your project.

 

you could spend a moment to search?

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-to-build-your-own-flow-bench.309410/

 

There is at least one forum dedicated to building DIY flow benches.

 

If it is the one I am thinking of, it is not a great design by today's standards.

 

With the amount of racing in California, it should not hard to find someone.
Having said that, I tried 2 search engines, and got nothing but garbage.

 

That’s what I was doing. Was thinking about it on the way home from work this morning, searched “cylinder head ****” saw one or two in So Cal. , another about 3 hours away.

 

Lots of dirt tracks within driving distance of SF. Someone has to build motors.

 

Maybe this place: https://www.lewisracingengines.com/services.html
Never heard of them.

 

Bit of a haul as well. 250 miles.
I’m going to check with the place who has my rotating ***embly, they used to do some real nice builds when I was younger, they may know of someone or a place somewhat local.
See, I bought these heads (same ones that were on the car originally) and went through them and followed a guys tech article on porting.
He did maybe 4/5 stages flow testing them at each interval.
I wasn’t thrilled with some of the things I saw/noticed with them after have the shop rebuild them.
Decided eff it, went with aftermarket AL heads.
But I have the untouched originals bagged up next to the ones I did.
I wanted to do a comparison to see what/if any improvements were made.
Kind of a “I wonder..” thing.
Reading the linked DIY articles, still may not be cost effective to make a bench for a one time use thing.
Thanks for looking for me.

 

Can anyone suggest a GOOD search engine ?
When I specify "Flow bench testing in Northern California",
I don't want to see results with shops in PA and IN.

 

Since you only want to compare the above should be pretty cost effective?

 

Here is probably the biggest DIY flw bench forum.
PTS Flowbench Forum - Index page (flowbenchtech.com)

The magazine article some have mentioned was in Popular Hot Rodding....Sept and Oct 1993, written by Pete Saueracker, it detailed how the guys at MSD Ignitions built their own flow bench using 100 cfm each vacuum motors. Theirs had either 9 or 12, I don't recall if it was 9 but space for 12, or a full 12 motors.
This Facebook group has the article posted.
(20+) DIY Flow Bench | Article by Pete Saueracker in Popular Hot Rodding, Sept & Oct '93 on how to build your own flow bench - viewable online at | Facebook

Flow Bench | Air Flow Measurement | Air Flow ****ysis (flowperformance.com)

 

Someplace I have a formula written down to change flow numbers from one testing vacuum setting to another. So if don't/can't flow at 28" you can convert for comparison purposes.

 

I have a copy of this:



Im willing to pay the postage to you, if you pay the postage back to me when you are done. Might be cheaper for you to buy a copy outright though.

cheers,
Harv

 

Heck, generous, but I can find it on EBay most likely.
I do appreciate the offer

 

Heck, that was easy. 33.05 later and it should be here in a few days.
Thanks @Harv

 

I’ll see what Vizard’s book says and may ask for the info.
I see it say “affordable flow bench “ but I also ***ume the book came out many years ago, so who knows now.
Thanks.

 

At one point in my precious life, we needed to build a airflow chamber to test our HVAC blowers and fans for CFM vs static pressure. I recall ordering some “how to” manual, and we were about to start building it when a recent university graduate from an aerospace program literally knocked on the front door looking for a job. We hired him, and he designed a chamber based on the manual. I recall we had a bunch of different sized bell mouth aluminum pieces made according to the manual from a local shop that did metal spinning. They were mounted in the middle of the chamber. It really wasn’t that complicated. We had airflow curves for the pressure drop across each of the “nozzles”, and used them as required depending on the maximum amount of airflow the fan or blower could develop. Ones not required were “plugged” with a simple ballon. Once finished, we had our results compared to our fan/blower electric motor manufacturer who had one, and another company, and results were very similar. Shortly after he built it he quit, but it remained in use well after I left 8 yrs later. The most important thing was making sure there were no air leaks in the chamber.

 

Bob Gromm Cyl Heads San Jose . over 40 years exp.