I am finally swapping out my lame 305 for a '92 350 tbi four bolt main. I will be converting it to a carved motor with a 600 cfm edelbrock and a edelbrock performer intake and I'm in the process of updating the exhaust. Since my 350 currently doesn't have a set of heads I am wondering what heads I should use (preferably junkyard heads since I'm on a budget) and which cam I should go with? Since its my daily driver I'm more concerned with torque in the lower rpm's than I am with spinning it in the higher rpm's, mainly a good street car that makes an occasional trip to the track. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I got my vortec heads at a junk yard for $85, then after $350 at the machine shop, milling, cleaning, checking for cracks, screw-in studs, and removing a bent valve and exhaust bolt, not a bad investment. and as for cam I love my comp cams XE268. Awesome low end power.

Also you may want to look at the performer RPM intake, it's a little taller and more expensive but it's worth it.

 

What kind of power is that combo making?

 

Well using comp cams digital dino and speaking with them to select the right settings, it should be making 420-430 hp and around 445 ft/lbs I dont have the numbers in front of me atm but I can find them. You can go to camquest.com and play around with their dyno.

 

Vortec and 268h will make a good combo. Watch the lift on vortec heads. Pushrod slots wont handle over .480

 

Vortec heads don't have pushrod slots. They use self-aligning rockers.

You do need to be aware of retainer to guide clearance. Usually best to cut the spring seats and tops of the guides for better valve springs and positive seals.

 

Thats not what I said. Slots , or holes where the pushrods goes through the head has to be enlarged for 1.6 rockers. Its not worth going over the max lift , as these heads dont flow in the .500 that well anyway. I did a 357 for a monte carlo with just a 268h which is only 218 dur and .454 lift , 1.5 roller rockers and these heads and duel plane performer and 600 edelbrock. Its a dynomite combo for the street with a 2400 stall. All we did was swap to the 268h spec springs. If your going to go .525 lift, get a set of AFRs as you get the added benefit of running higher comp. Thats just my opinion, I wouldnt dump money into cast iron vortecs. Note to op, big is not your friend on the street unless you do big cubes. Performer manifold , exactly what you want. Its 5500. Small(er) (than most will recommend here)cam and modest stall. It will make all the power off idle, and pull strong to 5-5500.

 

It is what you said, and they don't have pushrod slots. They have pushrod holes, which are plenty big for 1.6 rockers, unlike the '87-prior slots.

 

You call it what you want. Its a pushrod slot it isnt round. Gonna argue with comp cams?

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/cca-4710

You dont have to school me on late model chevy engines, lol. And yes some production vortec heads need to be elongated towards the stud with 1.6 rockers. Btw,What else can you add to helping this member with his questions besides trying to be an english major? Get your facts straight before you start correcting people.

 

Thanks for the info. I don't want to go to big on the lift anyways cause I want to maintain drivabilty. Would you recommend screw in studs going with that cam?

 

Screw in studs are great, for added stability, strength and better resistance to being pulled.....
If your going to run a high lift & duration cam, large valve heads and spin it over 7grand!
It is a very solid suggestion, but for what YOU are saying that you want. ... just have the vortec heads cleaned up (fresh valve job, seals,locks & spring's, that are matched to the cam) , and have the machine shop" pin" the factory rocker studs.
It's cheaper & will definitely hold up to what YOU say that you want it to run.

 

Def pin them. That is a good recommendation for what your looking for.

 

It's not an English issue. It's head version information, and keeping a member from spending unnecessary time and money. Vortecs don't have pushrod slots, they have round pushrod holes.

If you do use 1.6:1 rockers on Vortec heads, it would be a good idea to get a 1/2" drill bit and open them up - no $40 tool required. The tool is a good idea for '87-earlier heads that used non-self-aligning rocker arms, which require a more precision opening, but '88-later (including Vortecs), or when using guide plates (in which case the slots should be opened up to round holes), not required.

Now that, I would agree with.

 

I will modify that to say they may be okay for 1.6:1 rockers. While the heads are off, drill 'em out so you don't have to worry about it if you plan on using 1.6:1 rockers.

Of course, given this:
" I don't want to go to big on the lift anyways cause I want to maintain drivabilty."

...There's really no reason to use 1.6:1 rockers.

 

I would have to agree with 5-7, unless you don't have a set of self aligning roller rockers, (even then, I think that buying a set of 1.52's would work out better for your application ). But definitely get a set of RR'S, if you don't already have them.

 

So when are you going to respond the this poster or you going to go back and forth with me and not interject anything worthwhile? Your wrong plain and simple and if you want to take your ball home because you think your in the right, do so. They are slots before 87 and after. And whether they as you think are holes or not dont cost anything. I never said to machine anything, as a matter of fact if your actually reading anything Im writing, im telling him the cheapest possible route from point a-b. As a moderator Id expect more than this back and forth bs with the correcting of post grammer. Waste of money is machining these heads for a bigger cam than needed. These heads dont flow well over .500. Poster is on a budget and asking the best way to do this with cam recommendations. I responded, and your response is to nitpick a post. Whatever. Have you used these heads on anything?

Good cam recomendation would be something in the neighborhood of 430 -440 intake and 450 exhaust. 204-208 in duration 210-214 ex. Good street drivability combo with 1.5 rockers. Those heads will shine in that area and are built for tq. I know a 268h is a flat tappet but plug that into a comp cam cam program and see if you like it. Cheap performer intake and 600 carb will be fine. Power will be off idle to around 52-5500 rpm. Good for cast pistons. Cheap on a budget and if your local to me I have my old set off my 96 tahoe you can come and take if you'd like. Just need to cleaned up and checked.Dont mind at all to help someone out.

 

Sorry about the mix up, thought you were the original poster of this thread, LOL! Sometimes my service and phone hang, that pm was meant for. beastin91rs

 

Anyways, you can do as suggested here or for a few dollars more, buy a brand new set (eBay, summit racing sells there too, $520.00 ($260 a piece )for a new set, versus $450 for old rebuilt set. & that is if you get lucky and the junk yard set check out and you don't have to buy another) .

 

Depending on the shop it can run around 300. But certain vortec castings are prone to cracking. 520 for a new set is not bad considering. Check rhs also. I would never buy ebay heads though, from summit yes , not private sellers. Seen to many horror shows on that. To be honest ususally to avoid all that Ive always bought AFRs brand new on all my builds. Quality machine shops are getting harder and harder to come by and its not cheap anymore. It cost more upfront to do things for the long term once but everything has its place. For what this poster is asking he can easily do this on a budget with basic refurb on the heads and correct springs for cam.Even when I did my 383 for the tahoe I did vortec aluminums. But its out of the price range of this poster. Alot of options. If your not on a time frame and since its nearing the fall winter think about saving up some more if you really want other heads. I can set you up with some of the lowest prices around on AFRs. Take care.

 

I agree. The OP isn't trying to make huge power, so 1.5:1 rockers are fine (just be sure they are self-aligning rockers with Vortec heads, or guide plates with non-self-aligning rockers, because these heads have pushrod holes, not slots...).

I'll go back & forth with you as long as necessary to make sure correct information is given. Since this Board is used as a source for technical information, often through internet and member searches, it's better to have it correct the first time, rather than have someone 2 years from now assume they need a $40 tool to open up Vortec pushrod holes for 1.6:1 rockers because they searched and found it in this thread.

beastin91rs, stick with 1.5:1 rockers and you won't have to worry about the pushrod holes. Just make sure your heads can handle whatever lift at the valve you choose. Factory Vortec springs aren't good for much more than a factory Vortec cam, so replacing the springs is always a good idea with these heads. But, the guides are pretty big inside the spring, so either have the guides cut down (which will also allow more valve lift, if the top of the guide is also cut down), or use beehive springs.

These articles are a little old, but still have good info about prepping Vortec heads for more lift:
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148...ds-valve-lift/

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...pring_upgrade/

Oh, one last thing to consider: I know you talked about junk yard and budget, but you may want to take a look at this kit:
https://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-...ter/sd8060akit
Or for a little more lift capability:
https://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-...er/sd8060rakit

If you get Vortec heads from the junkyard, you are going to have to have a shop go through them, buy new springs, buy the intake, buy gaskets, etc., etc., etc. This kit has everything you need to bolt them onto the block. By the time you get everything you want/need with the junk yard heads, you very well may have spent more than what this kit (with all new parts) would cost.

Something to consider...

 

Well, If he doesn't want them, pm me with spec's & price (also building a 383 for another project ��)

 

With a factory roller block he shoudl probably not downgrade to a flat tappet cam

 

I dont know why you keep refering to me recommending a 1.6 rocker. Where are you getting this? I posted that link to show comp cams calls it a slot, I didnt recommend the tool. Im not getting where your going with this. Can you enlighten me? Last thing I would be doing is referencing magazine articles for info. Main thing Im tryin not to recommend is for the poster to "snowball" the build. A little more lift ? Build it for what you want now for a baseline and need be, upgrade at a later time when you want more power. Its never enough, we all know that. Pick a plan , stick with it.And behive springs?You break a beehive, you drop a valve. Behive lighter, totally unnessasary in this application. Plus expensive. 5500 redline. Hp z28 springs fine. They actually used to come on the sdce vortec head package. Don t know if they still offer them. When they did it was about 600 a set. But thats going back a few. Take care.

 

REREAD PLEASE? I said I know its a flat tappet but just for comparision. Just for reference in finding a roller cam with specs close to that. Never said to downgrade. I did not write this. Take care.