I did a search for this, can't find anything. Does anybody know what year chevy started using the vortec heads on truck motors? Thanks for any replies.

 

At leaat by 1995 for certain, and possibly before.

 

vortec v6 = 94

vortec v8= 96

I'm pretty sure, my friends all have pick up trucks, one has a 96 and one has a 95, dad has a 94 v6

 

vic is correct. Plus 96 was first year for roller cam in trucks.

 

Not to argue, but Mortec lists casting numbers for Vortec heads on '95 trucks. I also had an '88 1-ton GMC that had a roller cam - in a 350.

 

Vader,

The roller cams weren't officially designated to the GM lineup in trucks until 1996. It was a freak maybe.
The official debut of the Vortec head was 1996. A good rule of thumb to remember this is in 1996 they switched from TBI to SFI, and that's when the new heads were used.

 

blackened the sun, what have I done?

Iroc 22 is right also, I've put a open element on a 95, but can't do it to the 96 (tbi-sfi)

 

if roler cam started in the 90's how come I took apart a '87 T/A in the junkyard and it had a roller cam??? and it was a stock GM setup ??

 

Also in the case of the 4.3, it was designated Vortec in 1993 when CPFI was introduced. When GM brought out the 4.3 in 1986, they originally marketed it was the 'Vortec V6' because it had a roller cam. Didn't have anything else special about it.

 

The Vortec V6 was offered as an option in the Astro starting in '92.

 

Hey 84 Z

The roller cam started in the TRUCKS in the 96's.
Hell my 87 truck block was roller cam ready, all I had to do was drill and tap the holes for the hold down spider.

 

Iroc,

The old beater '88 had the roller cam block, but I can't honestly say I had the lifters out to look for roller tips and the spider. You're probably correct. As for the heads, the Mortec numbers list '95 casting dates, which would make sense for a '96 model year truck. You're right again.

 

I've found that the trucks used roller blocks (think =cheaper) but used flat tappets instead.