New heads

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TruckPainter

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Valve seals are bad looking to replace heads any recommendations like everyone I cant spend a ton but looking to get more power out of it...
 

arrg

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You're going to be into it for at least $1500 if you go down this road. If you don't have that kinda $$ to spend, just replace your valve seals and be done with it. That said, what engine do you have, and what vehicle is it in?
 

TruckPainter

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You're going to be into it for at least $1500 if you go down this road. If you don't have that kinda $$ to spend, just replace your valve seals and be done with it. That said, what engine do you have, and what vehicle is it in?
5.7 vortex wow how did I forget to include that...
 

RawbDidIt

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5.7 vortex wow how did I forget to include that...
Vortec heads are some of the best bang for buck heads for a Chevy 350. There was an episode on engine masters about this. As stated above the hp/$ or ft-lb/$ ratio of anything else will fall flat of rebuilding your current set. You may look into rebuilding and upgrading your cam while you're at it. That sounds like it's more in your budget, and would be much more efficient economically.

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nobears

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I’d replace seals and gasket match them myself
 

Erik the Awful

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Have your heads vatted and magnafluxed while you have them off!

Edit: Doh! Just remembered you have a V6 TBI. I was crossing your motor up with somebody else's Vortec V8. I might still have them checked.
 

Schurkey

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Valve seals are bad looking to replace heads any recommendations like everyone I cant spend a ton but looking to get more power out of it...

Have your heads vatted and magnafluxed while you have them off!
BEFORE you take them off, perform a cranking compression test, followed by a cylinder leakdown test.

If the valves/seats aren't sealing, there's no point to putting new stem seals on 'em.

Edit: Doh! Just remembered you have a V6 TBI. I was crossing your motor up with somebody else's Vortec V8. I might still have them checked.
Apparently not.
5.7 vortex wow how did I forget to include that...

I’d replace seals and gasket match them myself
The gasket area isn't where the flow restriction is.

There is essentially nothing you can do to Vortec heads to get more power from them. IF (big IF) you were experienced at porting, you might do some good. Most amateurs will cause more problems than they solve.

Any REAL upgrade from what you have is going to cost money. This assumes that the engine is running on all eight already, and the heads don't have major problems like burnt valves, wiped guides, etc. If the heads have major wear, sure, you can get back the missing power; but you're only going to get back to "stock"; not an improvement over what the truck came with.
 
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Pinger

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Valve seals are bad looking to replace heads any recommendations like everyone I cant spend a ton but looking to get more power out of it...

Valve stem seals or valve sealing?

A pushrod motor shouldn't even need to have its head(s) removed for stem seals.
Valve sealing - different ball game. Do the iron Vortec heads have separate valve seats or are the seats cut into the cast iron?
 

Erik the Awful

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Don't know if this applies to the V6s, but some Vortecs have hardened seats pressed into place, some have induction-hardening of the valve seats. The inserts have a tendency to fall out and destroy the head and piston, and the induction-hardened seats may be more prone to cracking. Pick your poison.
 

L31MaxExpress

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BEFORE you take them off, perform a cranking compression test, followed by a cylinder leakdown test.

If the valves/seats aren't sealing, there's no point to putting new stem seals on 'em.


Apparently not.



The gasket area isn't where the flow restriction is.

There is essentially nothing you can do to Vortec heads to get more power from them. IF (big IF) you were experienced at porting, you might do some good. Most amateurs will cause more problems than they solve.

Any REAL upgrade from what you have is going to cost money. This assumes that the engine is running on all eight already, and the heads don't have major problems like burnt valves, wiped guides, etc. If the heads have major wear, sure, you can get back the missing power; but you're only going to get back to "stock"; not an improvement over what the truck came with.
The intake ports on the manifold are substantially smaller and have horrible exits compared to the heads. Can gain a very noticeable amount of power porting the OE lower intake.
 
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