Bang for buck.

[Trucker89490]

I am new to the Forum and this is my first rebuild. So the real question here is how am I going to get the most power out of my engine using the factory garbage heads (or so I've heard). The engine I'm currently working with is out of a 93 Sierra it is a 5.7 l TBI. Factory heads Factory Pistons. The guy I bought it from allegedly had it rebuilt but now that I have torn this engine apart I have found all that it had done was an Edelbrock 3702 camshaft put in it that's it. I am wanting to build this engine for towing mostly it seems to struggle when going up hills on the freeway when towing. Anybody's advice? I am thinking to put in a 2102 cam but I'm uncertain how it will perform also considering flat top pistons and new rings and bearings any advice would be great. I'm sorry if this is somewhere else in the Forum I really just didn't want to take the time to try and find it.

 

[c1500deathtrap]

vortec heads and long tube headers

 

[slowburb]

Leave the short block alone if it works the way it is.

Vortec heads
4 barrel dual plane intake manifold with tbi adapter plate
Headers
Fuel system mods

There are way way better cam profiles than the ancient "rv" cam.

 

[Trucker89490]

I will definitely be leaving the short block alone I do already have headers on although they are not long tube if I had the budget I would probably be thinking about doing vortec heads and maybe some sort of EFI system my dad was trying to convince me to go in an RV cam but I've been seeing better profile so I definitely agree with you

 

[Trucker89490]

vortec heads and long tube headers

I agree with the vortec heads although they may be out of budget right now but I don't know if long tube headers will fit on a 4 wheel drive chassis

 

[sethel]

I had a buddy who works on trucks often say that if I wanted to change my 5.7 TBI to vortec heads I'd have to re-chip it, and possibly get new injectors with a stronger pump because of the massive amount of excess air flow. Is that true? Seems drastic. Because I've been wanting to get vortec heads on myself. I was considering just swapping heads with minimal, if any rework to them.

 

[Project400]

For a towing application gears are SUPER important

 

[andy396]

I had a buddy who works on trucks often say that if I wanted to change my 5.7 TBI to vortec heads I'd have to re-chip it, and possibly get new injectors with a stronger pump because of the massive amount of excess air flow. Is that true? Seems drastic. Because I've been wanting to get vortec heads on myself. I was considering just swapping heads with minimal, if any rework to them.

FWIW, I swapped the heads on my boat engine to the Vortec design and installed a higher lift cam. It took a very minimal change to the jets in the carb to dial it in. So I think the use of "massive" might be unjustified here. They flow better, but they also improve the mixture which in turn improves the efficiency of combustion. A tune from TBIChips and maybe a fuel pressure adjustment is probably all that's in order for the swap, but there's plenty of guys that likely know better than I. Try searching for Vortec TBI swap and read up.


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[skylark]

I had a buddy who works on trucks often say that if I wanted to change my 5.7 TBI to vortec heads I'd have to re-chip it, and possibly get new injectors with a stronger pump because of the massive amount of excess air flow. Is that true? Seems drastic. Because I've been wanting to get vortec heads on myself. I was considering just swapping heads with minimal, if any rework to them.

I've had good luck with bumping the timing to 4 btdc and quarter modding the fuel pressure reg. It should be tuned to be right but the above will get you by.

 

[sethel]

I've had good luck with bumping the timing to 4 btdc and quarter modding the fuel pressure reg. It should be tuned to be right but the above will get you by.

Quarter modding the fuel pressure reg? That might as well be Chinese to me. I put in an adjustable fuel pressure reg... am I a quarter of the way there?