Ported L86 Intake Manifold - Options

kgkern01 · November 25, 2019

As a few others on here are doing as well, I am trying to maximize the bolt-on potential of my 6.2 L86. Street driving/daily and towing is my use, so low-mid-range hp/tq and efficiency gains are my goals, not peak hp, I have a highly modified TransAm for that. On my list is porting the L86 intake, however I haven't seen much online regarding it. I have found only 2 places so far online that do the porting, Pace and Gwatney, and was curious as if anyone on here has experience with having the L86 intake ported, and other possible porter options, price, results, etc.

truckguy82 · November 25, 2019

15 minutes ago, kgkern01 said:

As a few others on here are doing as well, I am trying to maximize the bolt-on potential of my 6.2 L86. Street driving/daily and towing is my use, so low-mid-range hp/tq and efficiency gains are my goals, not peak hp, I have a highly modified TransAm for that. On my list is porting the L86 intake, however I haven't seen much online regarding it. I have found only 2 places so far online that do the porting, Pace and Gwatney, and was curious as if anyone on here has experience with having the L86 intake ported, and other possible porter options, price, results, etc.

pray performance, he’d be my first choice

active on the camaro forums and made a good name for himself porting lt1 intakes

L86 All Terrain · November 26, 2019

Dremel tool.

Jacoby · November 26, 2019

Gains will be minimal from porting the intake. After your brain got done tricking you I’d doubt you’d even feel a difference.

you want real gains you need to do a gear swap or power adder.

kgkern01 · November 26, 2019

2 hours ago, Jacoby said:

Gains will be minimal from porting the intake. After your brain got done tricking you I’d doubt you’d even feel a difference.

you want real gains you need to do a gear swap or power adder.

I'm not looking for the maximum performance gains or the most gains that I can "feel", I'm looking to maximize the stock longblock's efficiency and power/torque. I've seen a lot of dyno graphs on the LT1 intake being ported on stock engines gaining a consistent 10-15hp/tq across the whole curve, and a couple hundred $ isn't too bad to gain this, especially since I plan on pulling the intake to clean it and the valves when I add a catch can anyway. 10-15hp/tq under the curve here, and another 10-15 there, etc add up. My plans for it are Volant CAI (already have), E85 conversion, stainless LT headers, ported intake, catch can, then dyno tune once all these are done.

3 hours ago, L86 All Terrain said:

Dremel tool.

I don't have a problem going this route if anyone has done this and documented what needs to be ported out on these particular intakes. I know there is a ramp in/before the ports, and some material behind the throttle body that can be removed, but that is all I have found so far. Like I said I also don't mind spending $300-ish to port mine by someone with more experience and has done some flow testing, if I can gain 10-15 average under the curve on it.

Jacoby · November 27, 2019

6 hours ago, kgkern01 said:

I'm not looking for the maximum performance gains or the most gains that I can "feel", I'm looking to maximize the stock longblock's efficiency and power/torque. I've seen a lot of dyno graphs on the LT1 intake being ported on stock engines gaining a consistent 10-15hp/tq across the whole curve, and a couple hundred $ isn't too bad to gain this, especially since I plan on pulling the intake to clean it and the valves when I add a catch can anyway. 10-15hp/tq under the curve here, and another 10-15 there, etc add up. My plans for it are Volant CAI (already have), E85 conversion, stainless LT headers, ported intake, catch can, then dyno tune once all these are done.

I don't have a problem going this route if anyone has done this and documented what needs to be ported out on these particular intakes. I know there is a ramp in/before the ports, and some material behind the throttle body that can be removed, but that is all I have found so far. Like I said I also don't mind spending $300-ish to port mine by someone with more experience and has done some flow testing, if I can gain 10-15 average under the curve on it.

Lol!!!

volant cai $300

E85 conversion$200

LT headers $500-900 (depending which u go with)

y pipe $200-400

ported intake $200-300

catch can $150-250

custom dyno tune $500

thats $2050 on the low end and $2850+ on the high side.

guys in here have gotten gear swaps done for $1850-2500 including myself at $2250.

I don’t know what you’re towing but a geared, stock 6.2 will out pull a full bolt on 6.2 all day. My geared 5.3 would out pull your bolt on 6.2 all day. You say your not looking for max power but what do you think the outcome of those parts and a custom dyno tune are going to get you? Your tuner will try to get as much power as he can safely. Tell your tuner you just want max tq and not hp and he’s gonna look at you like your from Mars.

Lt headers are over kill and the gains aren’t worth the cost imo. Same with porting the intake. Unless your forced induction the gains just aren’t there. Gears will make your truck feel like you gained a couple hundred ft/lbs and make the engine/trans combo run way more efficiently, especially the trans.

I’m only posting because you said you use the truck for towing (as do I). Bolt on parts and a tune will improve things sure but not by much. But again I don’t know what you’re towing. If you’re just hauling some boat back and forth to the lake then some bolt on parts will fit the bill. If you tow close to the max like some of us do then gears is the way to go.

either way good luck with whatever you decide. I’m already jealous you got a 6.2.

flyingfool · November 27, 2019

youtube it, lots of vids on there.

the high flow ones cut out the bottom of the manifold to get rid of material inside I assume, then seal it back up after the job is done, i think there's more power in running the e85

Edited November 27, 2019 by flyingfool

truckguy82 · November 27, 2019

2 hours ago, Jacoby said:

Lol!!!

volant cai $300

E85 conversion$200

LT headers $500-900 (depending which u go with)

y pipe $200-400

ported intake $200-300

catch can $150-250

custom dyno tune $500

thats $2050 on the low end and $2850+ on the high side.

guys in here have gotten gear swaps done for $1850-2500 including myself at $2250.

I don’t know what you’re towing but a geared, stock 6.2 will out pull a full bolt on 6.2 all day. My geared 5.3 would out pull your bolt on 6.2 all day. You say your not looking for max power but what do you think the outcome of those parts and a custom dyno tune are going to get you? Your tuner will try to get as much power as he can safely. Tell your tuner you just want max tq and not hp and he’s gonna look at you like your from Mars.

Lt headers are over kill and the gains aren’t worth the cost imo. Same with porting the intake. Unless your forced induction the gains just aren’t there. Gears will make your truck feel like you gained a couple hundred ft/lbs and make the engine/trans combo run way more efficiently, especially the trans.

I’m only posting because you said you use the truck for towing (as do I). Bolt on parts and a tune will improve things sure but not by much. But again I don’t know what you’re towing. If you’re just hauling some boat back and forth to the lake then some bolt on parts will fit the bill. If you tow close to the max like some of us do then gears is the way to go.

either way good luck with whatever you decide. I’m already jealous you got a 6.2.

I’m calling bullshit

post up a video

heres my bone stock 6.2 with a tune

L86 All Terrain · November 27, 2019

https://gwatneyperformance.com/product/gpi-di-5-3-engine-air-induction-package-2014-up-gm-truck/#configuration

$400 to port the intake. Seems steep but North American labour is not cheap.

Edited November 27, 2019 by L86 All Terrain

kgkern01 · November 27, 2019

14 hours ago, Jacoby said:

Lol!!!

volant cai ~~$300~~ Already have

E85 conversion$200 Doing this anyway, to be able to run $2.20 E85 over $3.30 93 premium, plus the cleaner running and power benefits.

LT headers and y-pipe $500 (Speed Engineering stainless)

~~y pipe $200-400~~

ported intake $200-300

catch can $150-250 Also doing this anyway after cleaning intake and valves to keep further deposits and oil out, cleaner running.

custom dyno tune $550 Benefits are more than just the power and torque. Will also allow me to run E85, run more efficient, and the transmission tuning.

thats $2050 on the low end and $2850+ on the high side.

guys in here have gotten gear swaps done for $1850-2500 including myself at $2250.

I don’t know what you’re towing but a geared, stock 6.2 will out pull a full bolt on 6.2 all day. My geared 5.3 would out pull your bolt on 6.2 all day. You say your not looking for max power but what do you think the outcome of those parts and a custom dyno tune are going to get you? Your tuner will try to get as much power as he can safely. Tell your tuner you just want max tq and not hp and he’s gonna look at you like your from Mars.

I'm familiar with the difference that gear changes will do, I have done different transmission and axle gearing in my TransAm based on different setups I've ran. The gear ratio change effect is not what I'm looking for, I don't pull near max load, more like the 4-6k lb range when I do. I've also driven a 3.42 geared 5.3 on E85 and my 3.23 geared 6.2 is still noticeably stronger. If I were pulling closer to max load then I would swap the 3.23 for 3.73, but I only pull half of max

Lt headers are over kill and the gains aren’t worth the cost imo.

More hp and tq under the curve and slightly better mileage and sound for $500 works for me, I'm not going to go expensive with the headers, its not worth it to.

Same with porting the intake.

This is what I was asking about in this thread, if anyone else has any experience doing this on their 6.2, and maybe a before/after dyno with it. I know the 5.3's pick up some power with the 6.2 intake/tb swap.

Unless your forced induction the gains just aren’t there.

I would LOVE to put a twin-screw Whipple on it, but I'm not trying to get out of hand with my truck, I have the car for that haha.

Gears will make your truck feel like you gained a couple hundred ft/lbs and make the engine/trans combo run way more efficiently, especially the trans.

I’m only posting because you said you use the truck for towing (as do I). Bolt on parts and a tune will improve things sure but not by much. But again I don’t know what you’re towing. If you’re just hauling some boat back and forth to the lake then some bolt on parts will fit the bill.

If you tow close to the max like some of us do then gears is the way to go.

either way good luck with whatever you decide. I’m already jealous you got a 6.2.

flyingfool · November 27, 2019

from thier dyno numbers I'm only seeing gains up to 3000rpm, most of this is probably due to the larger throttlebody not the manifold, but you need the l86 manifold to install larger tb

BlackZ71SLT · November 27, 2019

3 hours ago, L86 All Terrain said:

https://gwatneyperformance.com/product/gpi-di-5-3-engine-air-induction-package-2014-up-gm-truck/#configuration

$400 to port the intake. Seems steep but North American labour is not cheap.

They also have a huge mark up just for the intake and tb. Rock Auto has the intake for $105 and tb for $102

flyingfool · November 28, 2019

yeah order from amazon or rockauto, you'll need the o-rings and tb gasket, and do a tb reset afterwards. its a weekend job and the mounting clip in the rear I hear is a real bitch.

Edited November 28, 2019 by flyingfool