First is there a way to tell if the engine is a 350?
Second is there a way to tell if it is a vortec?
Third is there a way to tell the year?
I am buying a motor off this guy and I am taking his word it is a 350, a vortec, and he says it is a new motor.

 

Behind the driver side head are some numbers. Those numbers will tell you what the motor is. If it is a vortec, it should also say 5.7l back there. What is the motor out of?

 

Vortec intake manifolds are only held on by 8 bolts. Count the bolts. 2 at each corner, and NONE in the middle area.

Here's an edelbrock Vortec TPI base as an example:



There are 305 Vortecs too, so check the casting number for a 5.0 or 5.7.

Notice you're looking down at the engine, and thats the oil filter on the left that you can barely see. That will help you figure out what you're looking at so go find it.

 

Same location on opposite side of block will have # 10243880 cast on the block and there will be # 880 cast on each side of the block above the pan rails

FWIW
All 1 pce RMS engines ('87+ ) have 5.0L or 5.7L cast there

 

You can also pull the valve cover and see what heads are on it and check to see if they are vortec castings.

Should be 906 or 062, I think there is also a 602

 

Thanks it's a Vortec. It has a name plate on it and it says year and it says 1999 is it a roller?

 

As you were told ; Vortec is the name of all GM's truck motors since 85; label means little

All real Vortecs (96 -00 ) are roller cam

 

It is a Vortec the casting numbers are rite. It does say 5.7 on the block too. Now is there any way of telling if it's a GM performance motor? I beleave it is just from the outward appearance and what it came out of and the guy I bought it from said it has
300+Hp.I am going to buy the smog performance intake smog headers and my tuner says to put 1.6 roller rockers on it. Should I get a TBI unit from a truck equipted with a 454? The Holley looks nice but all the forms say it isn't worth the money. I still need the knock sensor from a 350 rite? Do I still need to put an ESM from a 350 too? Are they expencive I plan on buying them new. I don't trust junk yard electronics. My tuner charges 175 for a chip and I suppose he tunes it too. He said it would take him 3 or 4 times to get it rite and he said don't start it for the first time with out him. I'm new to this so any input is gladly excepted and listened to. So feel free to chime in and tell me if I'm doing anything wronge or hell if I'm rite.
Thanks Greg

 

While the same basic block was used for other GMPP crate engines ;
if yours still has Vortec heads then it may be the Vortec 330Hp HO version that just has a bigger cam
http://paceperformance.com/i-6255511...te-engine.html

What outward " appearance " ?