Anybody here running LT1 injection on Vortec heads?

[shovelhead90*]

I'm new here so if I'm out of line just steer me to where I need to be. My daily driver is a '97 C3500 extended cab 454ci dually that's pushing 360,000 miles.

I'm building another truck for the street. I've got a 406 ci SBC with cast iron RHS Vortec Torker heads, Eagle internally balanced crank, Eagle six inch rods, reverse dome forged pistons with a -10 cc recess, 1.6:1 rockers, a Comp Cams hyd. roller settup (cam to be determined and custom ground) and I'm planning on using an LT1/LT4 direct port fuel injection settup on it.

I have long 1 5/8 headers and am planning to use a modified 4L60E hooked to a Dana 20 TC and a 3.73 Dana 70 dually rear end.

I have the intake system modified to mate to the heads, which are mildly, professionally flowed and ported, and 36 pound per hour injectors are on the way.

I'm wondering if if anybody else has run this setup on the street and if so what results they obtained.

I have access to professional tuning and tuning equipment. Any tips on what to look for and what to expect would be greatly appreciated.

Figure the new truck to weigh around 4,000 lbs.

 

[jdyates]

I'm extremely curious how you managed to modify the intake to fit the heads. I know the bolt pattern is different for sure, but I was sure the ports don't even match up.

 

[GMstrong]

You can get the heads to fit,but the coolant passages in the block are way different.

 

[shovelhead90*]

You can get the heads to fit,but the coolant passages in the block are way different.

I modified the intake manifold at the front to allow water passages for a remote thermostat. The ports match up because these are RHS Torker cast iron heads designed to fit early and late intakes. They have a dual bolt pattern. Makes it a little easier to do some things. They're also made for gen. 1 blocks.

The project is just getting started. I'm building this and a complete 1 ton drivetrain for a 1960 Jeep pickup. It's a Chevy in Jeep's clothing!!

I am taking some pictures. Later, when I get time, (and learn how to post pictures here) I'll try to put some up.

I'm kinda looking for anyone who's done this specific settup for the street. I've seen it on a couple of drag cars, but those guys don't divulge their tricks.

 

[shovelhead90*]

I'm extremely curious how you managed to modify the intake to fit the heads. I know the bolt pattern is different for sure, but I was sure the ports don't even match up.

The ports line up fairly well. Some port matching is necessary to obtain optimum flow. The two middle bolts on each side of the intake are different than those on the heads, but there is room on the intake surface of the heads to drill and tap without any other work required. The RHS Vortec heads are NOT the same as GM heads.

The coolant passages that don't exist in the intake manifold can be opened up with some judicious machine work and a little tig work if needed. The hole for the distributor can be bored and a suitable fastener boss fashioned with little or no problem.

RHS added extra material in a number of places like the deck surface and the intake surface, as well as raising the valve cover flanges. These are some heavy duty heads! It's a shame that RHS has discontinued them, and my head specialist was highly complimentary of the flow capabilities and potential. I had to remind him that they were for a street application.

I'm trying to take plenty of pics so that when I get a little more time and figure out how, I can post them for ya'.

 

[lkfldredneck]

I'm extremely curious how you managed to modify the intake to fit the heads. I know the bolt pattern is different for sure, but I was sure the ports don't even match up.

Im not sure how this way was possible, but i machined an intake for my buddy so he could run carb on his 96 350 vortec.

 

[shovelhead90*]

Im not sure how this way was possible, but i machined an intake for my buddy so he could run carb on his 96 350 vortec.

As I said, the RHS Vortec heads don't share a lot of characteristics with the GM versions. The intake side of the head more closely resembles that of a well ported double hump fuelie head. It has a dual bolt patern and is designed to work with Gen I blocks. I guess when the pics get gatherted and posted it'll be a little easier to explain.

The holidays have gotten in the way of progress, and my old '97 big block Vortec truck has decided it needs a little attention as well. Since Ol' Green, as I call it, is my daily driver, I'd better get it more roadworthy first and then we'll go back to the new truck.

Apparently, nobody else has done this combination so I look forward to getting back to it and getting it making noise!!

 

[chevydillan]

I had thought of doing something like this but have leaned more towards using an edelbrock victor jr efi and an elbow adapter for the throttle body. Seams like the victor jr would work better and loose all the erg ports in the process. I really can't decide between doing an LT1 swap or just keeping the L31 with the custom mpfi intake.
I assume your not going full LT1 because you already have a very good bottom end.

 

[shovelhead90*]

I had thought of doing something like this but have leaned more towards using an edelbrock victor jr efi and an elbow adapter for the throttle body. Seams like the victor jr would work better and loose all the erg ports in the process. I really can't decide between doing an LT1 swap or just keeping the L31 with the custom mpfi intake.
I assume your not going full LT1 because you already have a very good bottom end.

You're right. This started life as a straight up stone age carb and distributor project, keeping it farmboy simple and trying to make great fuel mileage and lots of torque. The fuel injection idea crept into the plan when I spotted a FIRST TPI set-up at a car show and asked the owner about it. He liked it a lot and offered some insight into EFI that I hadn't considered.

As I progressed into the change from old world to new, I asked a lot of questions and sought advice from folks who supply the industry with the things that make these swaps possible.
One of these people is my little brother who runs a small drag racing engine and transmission business. He runs two Super Stock cars on a national level as crew chief and consults on three more cars including one Top Fuel dragster.

As I said in one of the previous posts, there are a couple of the LT1 set-ups out there that are doing successfully what I'm trying to do, but they're pretty hush hush about details of making this work. I have gleaned enough info to know that the tourque capabilities of this combination are phenomenal at low to mid-range RPM and that this EFI system is capable of better all around driveability on modified engines. My cam grinder does work for one of the drag cars in question, and while he won't tell or doesn't know all of the details of their opperation, he assures me that it's a really good combination.

The key to what I'm doing is these heads. RHS has, in effect, joined the old Gen.1 head and the Vortec head, and while most folks are going with throttle body injection systems or tuned port EFI, this combination is possible. The other thing I have going for me is that I have access to great machine shop facilities and personel.

 

[chevydillan]

Well I sure hope you will share some if not all of your details. This for sure sounds like a neat project. Good luck