Would anyone recommend vortec heads on a sbc build? I have heard you can't put a big cam in with these heads? I really don't know anything about the vortec heads just trying to get some opinions and learn a little bit more about them

 

You'll choke a 400 SBC with those cylinder heads. Bigger cam + those heads isn't a good choice, even if you do the necessary modifications to make it work properly. You'll also need a vortec specific manifold if you're carbureted.

 

Well I know I would need a different intake for those heads just didn't know if they would be a good choice. I'm helping my dad build a 400sbc for his 66' El Camino and he wants a basic rebuild just a bit more hp and tq

 

For just yerbasic street build, Vortec heads would work fine.

Just think..... for ALL THOSE YEARS between the appearance of the 400 and the appearance of Vortec heads, we all used various other stock heads on 400s, NONE OF WHICH are as good as Vortecs. So while in 2013 you can certainly do better than Vortecs by going aftermarket, you can also do AHELLUVALOT better than we could in 1980 when the best we had was double-humps, and the technology (CNC casting) underlying aftermarket ones like we know today, didn't yet exist.

The trick to using Vortecs is not getting greedy with cam lift. Keep the cam small so that you don't exceed the limits built into the heads. Sure, you can overcome those limits; but, once you do, you'll find that you have aftermarket money tied up in them, except you're still stuck with a bunch of STOCK heads. So avoid that.

If all he's looking for is a nice peppy street motor, he can use those heads, a Comp XE262 cam, .050" offset keepers to get the retainer up off of the valve guide, the springs Comp recommends, and enough shim to get the spring pressures back up to where they belong (110ish on the seat). Pistons with a moderate-size dish will work best in that combo such as http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...6f30/overview/. Use the 1044 (thicker) head gasket. If he likes solid cams, go with the 282S instead; put 1.6 rockers on the exhaust.

 

Machine the vortec heads so you can get a nice lift right around 500, and port the exhaust a little while adding a 1.6 valve and you will have a set of heads that flows awesome to about 500.

I have had really good luck with these heads, I used a vortec manifold. But please use the heads you want.

http://www.jegs.com/i/ProMaxx-Perfor.../2151/10002/-1

 

Vortecs will be fine for a street build. You can find them cheap, do a little work to them, and you'll be happy with the outcome.

 

If they need to be completely reworked you'll be sinking a big sum of change to do that (making used aftermarket heads negligible in price).

That's just my opinion. They're great heads for what they are though as long as you don't sink large sums of money getting them "up to speed".

 

SBC vortec heads is what GM used as there last design before switching over to LS. They'll do that 400 justice over them emissions heads thats on it. Just don't forget to DRILL THE STEAM HOLES. I seen that happen to many times. Dont be afraid to use those heads GM still puts them on there crate engines.

 

Sofa has hit the nail straight on the head with this. Just be aware of any additional costs you might run into with used heads and the cost of buying a new manifold for the Vortex bolt pattern.

 

To really utilise the full potential of the bigger bore where heads are concerned remember that the bigger bore unshrouds the valves more allowing better flow. You should look for some used heads with very large port volume and capable of holding large valves. You can also make a 421 or 434 with a stroker crank. Aluminum heads also help them run cooler. I have a 400 with a set of track 1 brodix heads with a moderate solid roller cam and makes over 400rwh and over 500rwt with a holley stealth ram and it idles fairly tame.

 

The rule of thumb for 400's is a minimum intake runner of 195cc.

What baffles me and yes I'm going to say it again on this thread,you go through all the troubles of sonic checking the thin wall 400's and finish bore with torque plates and then "try" to cheap out on one of the most important part-the heads.Now that is really dumb!!.

 

Okay well what we had planned on doing was just reusing the stock heads and having a shop in town work on them and we already ported them ourselves but we saw an older article from CarCraft and thought that vortec heads would be a good cheaper upgrade on the head side. http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...0/viewall.html. We wanted to use a ***** thumpr cam from Comp cams but I did a little bit more research on it and people said that would be to much lift for those heads. Yes we had planned on drilling the steam holes into the heads.

 

***** Thumpr cams are for the exhaust sound, not performance. It would probably produce more power in a 400 than a stock 305, but they really are bad idea (IMO).

Stock 400 heads were about the worst thing the factory ever made. Big, poorly designed chambers, weak flowing ports, crack-prone - and no amount of porting will fix them. Vortecs would be an improvement, but you'll have to watch compression carefully.

I haven't done much research regarding 400 heads lately, but I'm sure there are better options out there than the stock heads, or Vortecs. Even on a budget.

 

You could try these

http://www.jegs.com/i/ProMaxx-Perfor.../2151/10002/-1

They flow better than vortecs and seem to work great for me.

 

If your buying new-these make more sense.The 180's for broad low end torque and the 200's to move the power band up.Remember to match heads and cam with cam/SCR comparability.

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/performance_parts/2012/

Yeah-page 175.Dumb link catalog......................

 

I have a build in a book that I'm looking at doing down the road. According to the authors, with the dyno chart that accompanied it, its a 400 small block with Vortech heads pushing 450+HP and 500+ Ft-lb of torque.