Good ready to install vortec heads?+cam recommendation

thatclappedsilverado · Jun 10, 2022

Erik the Awful said:
Doh! Yeah, I'm running the umbrella seals instead of the positive seals. I forgot about that. I have .507/.515 lift and still have more than .030 clearance.

There’s lots of combos for it. I just used regular felpro seals for a 96 truck.

L31MaxExpress · Jun 10, 2022

thatclappedsilverado said:
Easy good setup is vortec heads(ls behive springs/787-16 retainers and stock locks with a comp 280h cam. If the engine is in good shape you have a 375hp engine that makes good tq as well. Make sure you use a phenolic carb spacer. Keeps the heat out of the carb and use a Holley or something else unless your familiar with edelbrock. It’s a learning curve with them. Good setup though I’ve got a 270h and it still pulls quite well.

I had a 638 block that was roller cam and mechanical fuel pump compatible in my old G20. Vortec heads with upgraded springs, GM Hotcam with 1.5 rockers, edelbrock performer Q-Jet intake, 850 cfm Q-Jet and Thorley tri-ys into a dual 2.5" exhaust with a X-pipe. S10 converter in the 700r4 and 3.08 gears. Made 375-380 hp and probably 425 tq at the crank. More than enough to roast the 295s on the back.

Slade88 · Jun 11, 2022

thatclappedsilverado said:
Easy good setup is vortec heads(ls behive springs/787-16 retainers and stock locks with a comp 280h cam. If the engine is in good shape you have a 375hp engine that makes good tq as well. Make sure you use a phenolic carb spacer. Keeps the heat out of the carb and use a Holley or something else unless your familiar with edelbrock. It’s a learning curve with them. Good setup though I’ve got a 270h and it still pulls quite well.

That sounds perfect for me, where do you recommend I buy the vortec heads?

Slade88 · Jun 11, 2022

thatclappedsilverado said:
Easy good setup is vortec heads(ls behive springs/787-16 retainers and stock locks with a comp 280h cam. If the engine is in good shape you have a 375hp engine that makes good tq as well. Make sure you use a phenolic carb spacer. Keeps the heat out of the carb and use a Holley or something else unless your familiar with edelbrock. It’s a learning curve with them. Good setup though I’ve got a 270h and it still pulls quite well.

Right now I’ve got a box of Z28 valve springs that say they can handle 550 lift. Would these be good to use? What kind of valve train should I use? Would a stock vortec valve train be sufficient, or could I use the pushrods and rocker arms out of my TBI heads, I’m trying to do this as cheap as possible

Erik the Awful · Jun 12, 2022

Slade88 said:
where do you recommend I buy the vortec heads?

Pull-A-Part, and then get them magnafluxed. There's no sense in spending any kind of real money on Vortec heads when there are better heads out there fairly cheap now.

L31MaxExpress · Jun 13, 2022

Erik the Awful said:
Pull-A-Part, and then get them magnafluxed. There's no sense in spending any kind of real money on Vortec heads when there are better heads out there fairly cheap now.

^^^^Given what my small block just made with inexpensive offshore aluminum castings ported by Lloyd Elliot I would not spend any real money on Vortecs. AFR Enforcer is the same casting with decent parts.

ccreddell · Jun 13, 2022

For a (relatively) cheap set up, I ran an LT1 cam when I changed over to Vortec heads. Ran an adapter and the stock TBI. Had to change over to roller lifter, and I ran 1.6 roller rockers and that truck ran very well and with a bit of tuning I got better than 20mpg on the highway.

L31MaxExpress · Jun 13, 2022

ccreddell said:
For a (relatively) cheap set up, I ran an LT1 cam when I changed over to Vortec heads. Ran an adapter and the stock TBI. Had to change over to roller lifter, and I ran 1.6 roller rockers and that truck ran very well and with a bit of tuning I got better than 20mpg on the highway.

I have run both a LT1 and production LT4 cammed L31 and both ran extremely well. Even the old 5.0L Vortec I had ran very well with a LT1 cam andvanced 4°.

35olds · Jun 13, 2022

Slade88 said:
Hey everyone, the summit 151124 vortec heads I originally wanted have been out of stock for some time now, says they’ll be back in stock in august and I don’t plan on waiting that long to do my head and intake swap. Does anyone have any recommendations for ready to bolt on vortec heads already machined for around 500 or so lift? I’m looking for something cheap that includes most the hardware. I’ve got a 5.7 350. I’m running short tube headers with true duel exaust (straight piped of course), with a mild cam and open air element.

I plan on installing a high rise duel plane air intake, with a 1 inch spacer and a edelbrock 650 carb, I would also like a big lopey thumpy cam and lifter kit that will make a lot of tire shredding torque and sound really mean, I’ve heard vortec heads perform best at around 500 lift, so my cam will be around that size, but until I get the dough to install the big cam and carb I’ll stick with my mild cam and put my tbi on the intake with an adapter until I get the money for all that, which should work just fine.

If anyone could link me some ready to rock heads that would fit my application I’d really appreciate it!

If you go on You Tube , check out Piss Cutter Performance . This guy and his followers have a LOT of information on the VORTEC motor . He really knows what he is doing . I was in your shoes a couple weeks ago , got all my answers there . , Bob

98 Nitro · Jun 13, 2022

Ya he flowed original vortecs, 305 vortecs, and the OTC Mexican vortecs GM still sells. Basically the OTC ones flow the least, therefore get used original ones and have them checked out or buy aftermarket aluminum ones.

Good ready to install vortec heads?+cam recommendation

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