98 chevy 1500 engine issue

[Dougm72]

hello i bought a 98 chevy 1500 ext cab 2wd with 8in lift on 35s and i have been through alot with it it bought with a oil leak and i didnt get to it fast enough and it is rod knock it was leakin out at front of intake under theremastate and stuff the engine is 350 5.7L L31 vortec now the guy said he rebuilt the engine and put a 350tbi block on vortec heads and intake now im about to do the same thing i have bought myself a 350tbi and i am wondering what all has to be done to make a 350TBI become a 350 VORTEC does the cam need changed if i dont change the cam what do i lose i am just wanting reliabilty and mabey pull a trailer every now and then just wana get to cullage now please remember im 17 and will be doing this on my own and low amount of cash but want it done right so i dont have to do it again. please be honest i wana learn alot about theise trucks i love to wana i want to go to colluage for a mechanic so ya lol

thank you

doug

 

[1990GMCSIERRA]

well i vote for a ls 5.3 instead but like u said ur low on cash

have u already got a block and everything or are u starting from scratch?

 

[Dougm72]

i got a friends uncle tradeing me a 350 tbi he has had in his storage shed for a guitar he has been trying to get from me. and i have mine was going to take my vortec parts (heads intake and what ever else needed) and put it on the 350tbi im getting to make one good reliabel engine my big issue is i cant get a streight awnser from gm "they dont know if they change cams from tbi to vortec" so im stuck there would it hurt to ru a diffrent cam?

 

[1990GMCSIERRA]

no the one thats in it isnt gona hurt a thing

 

[Dougm72]

so why did they put a difrent cam if they did? would i lose alot of power and ft pounds? so it should be a simple swap that even a 17 year old who can work a wrachet and know the dif in metric and standerd ( i guess thats a big issue with my generation lol). soo all that makes a vortec a vortec is the heads and intake? so all it needs is gaskets and silicone?

 

[1990GMCSIERRA]

wortecs have a completly dif, fuel system and pulley set up

im not sure if the cames are dif,,other than the vortec is a roller motot the other ur getting may not be

 

[Butch]

Thanks for helping him out Tony, Glad to see you made it over here Dougm72

wortecs have a completly dif, fuel system and pulley set up

im not sure if the cames are dif,,other than the vortec is a roller motot the other ur getting may not be

Don't forget computer system, etc. are different.

 

[1990GMCSIERRA]

yea i forgot all bout the electronics

 

[Dougm72]

my truck has all the vortec stuff all i really need is the block from the 350tbi my main consern was the cam and that everything would line up shouldent everthing just hook right up i know how the fuel is deliverd is a difrent set up from the tbi but if i take alot of pics from what the truck looks leike now it should all come together right? i shouldent have to mess with all that stuff. if i am wrong please correct me

edit also i really like this forum thanks for the link to it

 

[1990GMCSIERRA]

if ur just usin the block hell throw on ur heads and intake and swap em out
just becareful and do it all right the first time,,plz dont get into it if ur not sure ur able to