The cylinder head is the heart of the high performance engine. Here at PIE, the cylinder head is also at the very heart of all that we do. Optimizing air and fuel flow through the cylinder head is the foundation for superior engine design. We don't just port heads, we develop specific porting. To put together a porting map, every cylinder head has to be measured and analyzed in several critical areas including, among others, bowl; throat; short turn; and, cross sectional area, to name a few.
We begin the porting process by considering your application. Will your cylinder heads be installed on a smaller engine or on one of a larger size? Is your engine naturally-aspirated or is it of a forced-induction type? If forced-induction, is the engine turbocharged or is it supercharged? What is your engine's design speed range, in RPM? What camshaft has been selected to operate with these cylinder heads? The answers to these and other questions are vitally important to a superior head design. At PIE, cylinder head development is an exacting process supported by thorough engineering and endless testing.
Here, cylinder head testing is anything but run of the mill. We employ both dry-flow and wet-flow bench testing. The distinct advantage of wet-flow bench testing resides with our being able to visually determine the paths of atomized fuel through the head runners, and into piston combustion chambers. By employing this method of testing we can properly determine if fuel flow is impeded by head material, and, if so, how best to shape head ports in order to achieve maximum engine performance.