hey i just got some vortech heads that i wanted to rebuild and put them on a l98 tpi engine that has no tpi on it. we will put on a 600cfm edelbrock carb on it insted. my question is that i want to know what do i have to do on the heads to install a zz4 camshaft on the 350 engine? the heads are all stock and im in a realy tight budget also. thanks

 

"Vortec" heads, perhaps?

If that's the case, cut the guides & spring seats, installe positive-type seals and larger/better springs. You'll need retainer-to-guide travel of at least .570" on the exhaust side.

Something to retain the rocker studs is also a good idea. Either have screw-in type installed (more expensive), or pin the press-in types.

 

would this kit work? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I have searched all over for guides and such and could not find what i was looking for. could any body make me a combo that i could get for the budget minded person? thanks!

 

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

I think Crane has a spring and retainer kit that fits Vortec heads to allow up to .550" lift with no machining. 112lb seat pressure if I remember correctly...

Got the info from Sallee Chevrolet website's little blurb about the Vortec heads.

Summit has the kit for like $160, but that's just springs and retainers. You still probably need all the "standard' work to freshen up the heads and also pinning in the rocker studs (at a minimum) probably a good idea too with the higher spring pressure and cam lift.

 

Comp have the "beehive style" valve springs that get you out of having the spring seats machined. However, the guides are still too tall. So you have to have them machined to accomodate the extra lift. Stock vortecs will accept up to .480" lift.

 

hmmmm... i was thinking about just rebuilding the stock L98 heads that came off the 350 tpi could i go 2.02 IN 1.60E? i know i would need some work but would that work?

 

I've been looking at Vortecs and or fixing up/porting the cast iron or even aluminum L98's.

It seems no matter what you do, it ends up being darn near as much money by the time it's all said and done to just get a set of Trick Flows or similar.

 

According to Sallee Chev. (I don't personally know) the Crane kit does not need machining to go to .550 lift. From what I gathered, it is something to do with the design of the spring retainer that allows the high lift in lieu of machining. Again, just relaying on what I've read. If this is not true it would be great to know for sure.

 

The spring seats are extra thick at the bottom and prevent you from using aftermarket springs that contain the inner spring. However the guide bosses are still too tall to accept that amount of lift and still have to be machined down, even if you get the above mentioned springs. Sallee fails to mention that part. Comp Cams makes the tools for you to do it yourself. Here is another article where they machine vortec heads to accept .525" lift.

Oh and the part about max lift of .420" I bought my vortecs brand new and the paperwork from gm performance parts states .480"



http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...148_0208_vort/

 

machining the guide bosses is around $35 to $50 around here.cheap compared to mushrooming all or most of your valve stem tips(like i did)!!!!!!!!
also ,make sure to remove the "oil drippers"the sawed off pop can tops that go over the top of the springs,and set your spring height to the spring manufacture's reccomendations
replace the springs with whatever is reccomended for that cam.
Eric B

 

Well, like I said, I have not tried it but this seems like a pretty clear statement to me.

Have you guys actually tried this exact spring/retainer combo and found it does not do as stated below?

Quote directly from Sallee website-

"Inserted by Sallee Chevrolet
The Sallee Chevrolet solution is to use Crane Cam’s 10309-1 drop-in valve spring and retainer kit which is good for .550” lift with no machining."

 

I didn't think it had to be done either until I was educated otherwise.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=308460

Slapi01 had to do it to accomadate more lift. You may try to PM him to get more details. I don't know since I just ported mine and kept the stock springs. You can buy the ones already machined and assembled from Scoggin Dickey. I think they cost about $150 more.

Comp makes the single coil beehive style. If you want to use any other type you have to do this.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=313257

 

I have read the Sallee article as well. I did a lot of research before I bought my vortecs. At the same time, the guys at Chevy High Performance don't exactly have their heads up their tale.

 

wish i could chime in here, but i ended up buying afr's with udgraded spring kit. i was getting tired of seeing the vortec 142 blower date keep moving. so now i am switching. now that the car is going to sleep i plan on taking the time to finish my engine. like vrtc350 said, any way you go, you still have to have the guides cut. plus it might be in your best interest to have screw in rocker studs installed. i was running a cam around .470 and one of the studs i believe started to lift. i will keep you guys posted. any help let me know.

 

i would honestly reccomend screw in studs for any "performance"cam.why take chances?as for the springs accepting .550 lift,i'm sure they do.the thing is,to get the retainer clearance(which has nothing to do with the springs)you either need a really short retainer(is that what comp did?),shimmed spring seats and long valve stems,or to cut the guides down period.
i priced the beehive springs and there's no way it would be cheaper than cutting the guides down.
if you're wanting to do this without removing the heads,think about it this way,you are almost to head removal when you do the cam change anyway right?why not save the $ you need for the gasket kit and a new set of comp roller tips and maybe even screw in stud installation and just take the heads to the machine shop and get the guides milled?
no brainer to me.
Eric B