I am rebuilding my 92 350 TPI motor. I am contemplating upgrading to Vortec heads and the matching TPI baseplate.

What is the best casting to get for the vortec heads? I have seen 906 and 062. Are there others?

Should I stick with the stock size valves or have them enlarged?

My motor setup looks something like this:
92 350 block - .030" over
LT4 Hot Cam w/1.6 roller rockers and matching springs
Hedmann Headers
Edelbrock high flo baseplate
SLP runners
Ported intake
52mm throttle body
24lb injectors
Ported 083 heads w/ 2.02/1.60 valves

From what I have read here the Vortecs seem to outflow the 083's even when ported all day long. My thought was to get a set of Vortecs and port/polish those with hopes of really waking this motor up and making some power.

I think right now the 083's are probably going to hold me back. Hopefully this is will be a nice upgrade to my motor.

What are everyones thought on this?

 

There has been debate as to weather or not the 062 casting is better than the 906. Everything I have read says the 062 is better due to the 906 having hardened seats that restrict airflow. I personally have not read anything that disputes that about the 906 casting.

If you purchase the heads new from Summit or somewhere else you will get 062 castings. Out of the box all these heads really need are some clean up in the bowls and the ports, especially on the exhaust side where there is the most restriction. There is some places that have some meat to be hogged but not a lot. Someone posted some great pics of gasket matching the intake ports.

As far as going to bigger valves that is up to you. Brand new the seats have the 3 angle valve job already done. Without going to bigger valves I would have at least have the spring seats and valve guides machined to except a higher lift cam. Vortecs only accept .480" max in stock form.

 

I may be different, but I don't see the justification on spending $450 for a baseplate + all the work needed to have Vortec's perform (milling the guide bosses, as they are taller than the likes of 416, 081, etc), screw in studs, valves, etc. When for about the same price, you can get an aftermarket head with plently of meat for clean up, that comes with the above upgrades, while still keeping your factory baseplate.

That's my thought.

 

Not to mention your factory 350 heads can be ported to flow similar to the Vortecs.

 

Comp makes the tools for machining the valve guides and spring seats yourself. That would eliminate some of your machining cost.

 

I agree about the stock vortecs not really being worth it. If I was going to do a vortec setup I wouldnt settle for less than the bowtie vortecs that are out now. Even the pro topline vortec heads would be ok since they have much more meat to them. Arent the stock vortecs like the thinnest castings around. I got the impression thin castings were not favorable for high performance.

 

I did a set of 062's for a guy with a '65 chevelle.
Springs seals, studs and porting.
Results:
Mild cam, 750 double pumper, long tubes thru mufflers
12.00 @ 115.00
Well worth it to me!

 

What was the displacement?

 

It was a fresh 350
10.2 comp

 

I dont know if I would trust running thin castings is all. Main reason most guys stray away from smog heads.

 

There's nothing wrong with Vortec heads and a carb. I was going to use such a combo myself before I got into my 400 setup. It's the $450 intake that makes the Vortec/TPI combo somewhat crazy when bang for the buck is looked at.

And, as far as I know, both the 062 and 906 castings are equal (I recall the statement about the 906's exhaust seat or whatever eventually being recalled by the magazine). Also, on the same branch of knowledge, the Vortec casting thickness are fine. It is the early smogger crapola that got the chance of the thin castings like you said - certain 882 heads and such like that.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Holley make the Stealth Ram with a Vortec style base now? If so that would be one heck of a step up; vortec heads and the HSR.

 

From what I hear they are plenty thin. Sorry just not going to buy it. Ive seen plenty of posts of these heads cracking especially under high compression.

I felt sorry for this guy especially

Heres another

and another



These are all over the racing boards. Take a look.

I was reading recently a post made by a gm foundry employee stating any engine built after 1970 has cheap materials and are all thin especially newer stuff. This is a way for the auto manufactures to save money by making the parts just good enough to work on a stock engine. If you want high performance you are forced to buy aftermarket or GMs bowtie series. This poster posted many cross sections of various newer castings showing how thin the castings actually are.

 

I have done some shopping and found a company who will sell me a completely rebuilt 062 Vortec head for $200/ea w/screw in studs and guides. This includes new stainless valves, 3 angle valve job, etc.

What I forgot to ask was about the extra work to open up the spring seat to accept a larger spring and for higher lift since I am going to run a LT4 Hot Cam.

How labor intensive is it? Since I have minimal experience with this I am not sure what to expect.

 

http://carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0306_vort/
http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...148_0208_vort/

The second article will tell you what you need to know.

I have been told that before by other members. However, no one has been able to produce this statement or the article. I have searched the web for hours looking for it. Also, if Chevy High Performance retracted the statement why wouldn't the remove the article that directly defames the 906 casting. As to the true difference I couldn't tell you. Chances are probable that they are the same. The fact is, brand new you get the 062 casting.

I know a few guys that are running very potent, naturally asperated setups using vortec heads. The first link above is about porting vortec heads. Check out what this member did with porting vortec heads. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...g+vortec+heads

Ultimatly, you should buy a head the will suite your needs, you're comfortble with, and will give you peace of mind. But keep in mind that if you do a search on Brodix, Dart, Trick Flow, Edelbrock, etc you will find just as many complaints.

 

I agree that everyone is going to have gripes about certain heads. For some reason I like the idea of the vortec's.

I was just looking around on Summit's website and they sell a Vortec head which is a GM performance head. The p/n is NAL-VORTECZZ5.

Looking at the specs of this head I noticed they are ready for screw in studs and the outer spring diameter is 1.379.

I wonder if these are able to handle more lift out of the box. All I am looking for is enough to hold my LT4 Hot Cam with a 1.6 rocker which would be .525.

Chances are I'll be calling Summit to ask since these come already assembled.

Any ideas?

 

According to this site
that part number is a 12558060 head with the additional work done. Probably the same as Summits. They claim they will accomadate .550" lift. I have the heads of the above mentioned part # that are 062 castings. What I would look at is how much does having a machine shop install the screw in studs, machine the spring seats and guides, and buy the replacement springs. Those heads are $126 more each than the base vortecs. If you can get everything done for less than $250 then you know which direction to go. Not to mention if you buy the tools from Comp and do the seats and guides yourself.

 

I am with you Fast25th, I even started another post asking almost the same question (before I found this post ) I was looking at Summit as well and found the same part # you did. Says that the heads will hold a .550 lift, but I am wanting 2.02/1.60 valves. I am guessing I can just get a machine shop to make that happen for me. If I can get what I want out of those heads and the LT4 cam kit....I will be set to move forward with my project, I just want to insure I can get what I really want out of the setup before I start buying the parts.....if you know what I mean. I am going with the VHSR though, little different direction than you, but mostly same on everything else. If you call Summit and get some good input let me know please. I am going to the local race shop here and show them these heads and see what they can do for me.

 

Well I can get the 906's ready to go with my valve springs for right around $600. If I end up going with the vortecs that is what I am going to do.

When the heads get here all I have to do is bolt them on!

 

I just realized that a lot of these heads do not have the EGR provision.

What cast heads do come with it? Any suggestions?