I found a set of vortec heads that are in good condtion for a $100. Im on a tight budget. I want to put them on my 350. I haven't check the casting number yet. Are all Vortec heads the same. If not how many different castings are there.

I was wondering if it is worth it to buy them and modify them for a bigger Cam. I have read that all you have to do is change the springs, retainers and get smaller seals for the higher lift.

I'm only looking at like .510 max lift for the Cam.
Unsure about what Cam to get for these heads I want the most power i can get. What cam would you guys recommend running.

I will be purchasing an air-gap intake and a holly dp 750 to top it all off.
The engine has four valve relief flat top pistons. stock bottom end.
I have a th350 with a 3000 stall and 4.10 out back if it helps.

Thanks for all the advise greatly appreciated!!!

 

All vortec heads arent the same. I believe the most sought after casting number is #062. Im putting a set of those on my 355 this winter and im going with Comp Cams xe268h. Ive heard anywhere from .450 to .480 lift for stock vortecs but im not 100%.

 

The 350 Gen I type Vortec heads are basically all created equal. But, better post the casting #'s.

You'll need beehive springs & retainers, or have the valve guides cut down to run that much lift.

Roller or flat tappet lifters? Comp XE cams are a pretty good choice.

 

Said by a magazine once, later withdrawn, but just won't die.

 

Is it worth it? Yea, but after a valve job and studding the heads it ends up being not too shy of a after market set of heads with the springs, locks and retainers all added up.

 

They are a great cylinder head,but the cost of machine work combined with having to buy an intake manifold specific to the heads pushes my choices to the aftermarket.There are some really nice heads out there nowadays in the $1000 range.

 

If I buy the heads for a $100. Then I can buy this Spring kit

http://www.competitionproducts.com/C...ductinfo/VSA6/

I need to call CP and find out the specs first make sure everything will fit.

I can just take the heads to my local machine shop and see how much they will cost cut the guides downs and machine the boss depending on what the inner diameter of the spring is, the seat can stay the same 1.250 because the spring matches is 1.250

As for screw in studs

http://www.competitionproducts.com/A...info/134-7101/

Guideplates

http://www.competitionproducts.com/P...ductinfo/8031/

So i figure
heads $100
Spring kit 110$
Studs $35
guideplates $20
$200 for machining
hell even $20 for shipping

Totals to a whopping $485 for everything.

Let me know what you think of this. Thanks for your replys

 

I have to buy a intake anyway I was looking at the RPM air gap

 

I say go for it. Probably one of the best heads for a budget build. Im running a set in my 88 and I love them.

Are you roller or flat tappet cam? What hp are you wanting to achieve?

 

If you've priced the required machining for $200, sounds like you've got the right deal going.

 

And machine work is about 60% cheaper in your area.I'd get some hard facts from your machine shop,rather than "figuring",because I don't think $200 is going to make it happen.I've been wrong before,though.

 

Yea I need to get a solid price tag on how much it is for the screw n studs and guideplates. As for sprngs I think im gonna go with the comp beehive springs http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-26918-16/

retainers http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CC...mage=large,and,

locks http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CC...6/?image=large.

According to this website http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ade/index.html

All of this stuff will work without machining and give me lift to about .550

It all cost $250 from summit.

 

There are 4 different casting numbers, but the 906s and 062s are good. The '96 versions of each need to be cut for 1.6" exhaust valves, and all of the 062s and 906s need exhaust port porting.
Now, this may not be the place for this, but I'm in no mood to start a new thread today. I'm doing a comparison test, on the dyno, between a .477"-lift, 268 degree HF cam, and a 269 degree, .474"-lift HR cam, in a Vortec 350. When done I'll start a new thread.

 

Have you checked the casting #'s yet? I'd hate for you to think you've got the cat's meow only to find out you spent $600 on 305 Vortecs.

 

I haven't checked the casting numbers yet. my buddys dad has like 4 complete sets of them though.

 

Neither version of the 305 Vortec heads is especially desirable. The better version is identical, port-wise, to LB9 heads except for the intake manifold attachment. The other version is identical, port-wise, to LO3 heads except for the intake manifold attachment. They are about 55 cc, while 906s and 062s are advertised as 64cc, but in reality are alot closer to 61cc to start with.

 

I am looking at this lunati 60104 Cam now for my vortec head setup. I am stying with 1.5 rockers. Can I just run the press in studs and stock rocker arms for this or should i just go with screw in studs to be safe. Do i have to run guideplates.

Thanks for all of your replys!!!

 

I like my heads, but with the money I've got in them, I wish I'd have gone aftermarket.

They've got screw in studs and guideplates, 1.60 exh valves, all the goodies. I didnt need to clearance them for more lift, but boy do I regret not having that done. Money was tight though.

If you can get them cheap enough, they're a hell of a bargain. I think $100 is pretty good, just dont skimp on getting them properly set up. I think I have about $600 in my 906's:

Valve job,
1.60 exh valve
screw in studs
guideplates

And I provided the springs, studs, guideplates, and exhaust valves myself.

 

Just make sure the valves and guides are in good shape and have them checked for cracks before doing anything else, You can simply pin the stock rocker studs in place for much less than a set of screw in studs and machine work.

A power drill and steady hands is all you need besides 16 pins to insert in the holes. Use a punch to make a flat spot or indentation in each stud boss first and pay attention to where the bit is going. It dosnt need to be uber precise but you dont want to have to do it twice or miss the studs.

These heads only really make sense these days if everything comes in under $500, $600 will get you some reportedly lame Procomp aluminum heads that'll need attention to work well and $1000 will land you in the thick of all the new iron and alloy SBC heads being produced now.

 

What do u mean by pin the stock rocker in place.

 

You can get rocker stud pinning kits. You just drill a hole through the boss and partially into the rocker stud and put a roll pin in there to keep them from pulling through. I think you'd be better off just drilling and tapping for screw in studs. But if you want guideplates (Non self-aligning rockers) you'll need to go ahead and get all that done by a machine shop anyway unless you have the equipment to mill the heads for guideplates.

 

I was thinking of getting a mechanical flat tappet cam. I dont mind cheaking clearences.

Do you think this spring will work without machining
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-98213/ or should i just go the beehive route.

 

The ID is probably too small.

 

It's only about $45 to buy the cutter for your drill, then you can machine the guides yourself. That's still cheaper than beehives, but the advantages of beehive or conical springs, such as COMP 982-16 springs, is they tend to fix dips in the torque curve. If you still have any dips, you know it's a tuning issue, or some other mismatch of parts. Even so, choose a cam and rocker combination that keeps your intake valve lift to absolutely no more than 0.480" valve lift.

 

Im going for like .510 valve lift

 

not wise. The intake ports stall HARD at 0.475" actual valve movement. So consider requesting a "lift rule" intake lobe. That way you'll have the same duration at 0.450" as the lobe you planned, but you won't hit the stall lift.

 

The 230 single pattern cam i have with .480 lift on a 108 LSA pulls hard to 6300 or so, so evidently it isnt "stalling" too bad, that is with shorty headers and a performer intake.

 

What is the (lift rule)? I have read where the standard vortec flow good up to .550 lift but it might have had a certain cam to do it? Anyway the lt4 springs will fit ($40.00) but you still are going to have valve keepers to retainer issues.

 

Nastyz28.com has a definitive guide on Vortec heads. Well worth the read and may answer a lot of your questions.
I'm running a set of 062's that have been machined for screw-in studs and 1.6 rollers using GM's LT4 HOT cam kit. A key point is to make sure that your compression ratio is good. I had my block decked to .010 with +5cc flat topped pistons with 2 valve reliefs and used a .039 FelPro head gasket. While my quench is a bit high at .049, my compression ration is where it needs to be to work with the cam at 10 to 1 static.

 

Thanks for the all the info

 

I keep hearing about this cutter but I can never find a part number. What is this thing?

 

I just called a machine shop in flint,MI said they magnaflux the heads 50$ a pair
and machine them for screw n studs and guide-plates for a 100$ for both without the studs and guideplates. sounds like a hell of a deal to me

 

Beehive springs complete with chrome Moly retainers and hardened locks for 189 $:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LS1-B...item5885551c2d

(Not for CSB running 11/32 stem valves.)