Good ready to install vortec heads?+cam recommendation

[Slade88]

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!

 

[Erik the Awful]

Do you currently have a TBI or a Vortec? There are issues with installing Vortec heads on a TBI - I wrote a sticky that covers most of the differences in the engines.

If you already have Vortec heads, clean them up, have them magnafluxed, port them, and put them on with LS2 valvesprings and Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and you'll clear .530 lift. If you don't already have Vortec heads, there are better heads out there. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably go with AFR Enforcers.

 

[Slade88]

I have tbi

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Do you currently have a TBI or a Vortec? There are issues with installing Vortec heads on a TBI - I wrote a sticky that covers most of the differences in the engines.

If you already have Vortec heads, clean them up, have them magnafluxed, port them, and put them on with LS2 valvesprings and Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and you'll clear .530 lift. If you don't already have Vortec heads, there are better heads out there. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably go with AFR Enforcers.

The Enforcers are the same exact casting as the Assault heads that are on my 383. I had Lloyd Elliot port mine as he is fairly local to me. Intake ported to a Felpro 1255 and exhaust to a stock Vortec exhaust gasket. Flow 291/199 @ 0.600. Very good head on a budget although I would use double valve springs, guideplates and hardened pushrods with traditional non self aligning rockers for added valvetrain stability. You will need to buy aftermarket valve covers.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

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!

Depends on which casting you have. The Mexican heads without modification will port stall at 0.450 lift and actually decrease 8-10 cfm by 0.500 lift. That being said I put a set of mexican 062s on a 290 hp GM crate engine that came with 76cc smog heads. The Vortecs and thinner head gasket increased cranking compression by ~25 psi. It had a 224/224 @ 0.050, 0.450/0.460 lift, 114 LSA cam in it. With the Vortecs on it that C10 ran a hell of alot better. You will not see a compression or much of a peak torque increase, but the torque curve will be flatter at high rpm and you will gain a few hp (maybe 20-25).

 

[Erik the Awful]

The Enforcers are the same exact casting as the Assault heads that are on my 383.

Same casting, but different finishing work. The Enforcers use 8mm valve stems. There are some good videos out there on the ten or so heads available from different finishers that all start as the same Chinese casting, which is a copy of a good Dart head.

Also, when it comes to cam choice, get all your engine info together and call a cam company. They can advise you better than rando interweb answers. I called Lunati for the cam in my Vortec-headed 350 and I really like what I got.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Same casting, but different finishing work. The Enforcers use 8mm valve stems. There are some good videos out there on the ten or so heads available from different finishers that all start as the same Chinese casting, which is a copy of a good Dart head.

Also, when it comes to cam choice, get all your engine info together and call a cam company. They can advise you better than rando interweb answers. I called Lunati for the cam in my Vortec-headed 350 and I really like what I got.

They are a good head as is. I slapped a set together that Lloyd was going to port anyway. Didn't even look at the valve job. Had him flow them before and after. The valves I had were not even back cut. Out of the box in the worst possible case they still flowed ~245 cfm. Makes AFRs 251 cfm number fairly realistic. The ports definately need work from what Lloyd told me. When they peaked the port was absolutely screaming on the flow bench. Given he found 47 cfm on the intake side with a little cleanup and valve rework without getting crazy on the port size, I would say that the average velocity of the port is much higher now.

 

[thatclappedsilverado]

Do you currently have a TBI or a Vortec? There are issues with installing Vortec heads on a TBI - I wrote a sticky that covers most of the differences in the engines.

If you already have Vortec heads, clean them up, have them magnafluxed, port them, and put them on with LS2 valvesprings and Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and you'll clear .530 lift. If you don't already have Vortec heads, there are better heads out there. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably go with AFR Enforcers.

Gotta watch I did the ls springs and 787-16 retainers and had .525 retainer to seal clearance and leaving .030 leaves me with .495 max lift. Other wise it’s a great set up. I put vortec heads on my tbi with an edelbrock carb. Would never use an edelbrock again.

 

[Erik the Awful]

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.

 

[thatclappedsilverado]

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!

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.