Hey fells,
I need to make a quick decision on getting some heads and am looking for some advice, I hope this doesn't start a debate.
I was looking for some vortex heads for my LBS and came across some 193's that come with a rebuildable shortblock, a TBI 5.7.
I like the good midrange torque and the fact thatthey are direct bolt on. My short block is tired so it won't go over 5K RPM, maybe even 4500. I'd clean up and gasket match the ports on either but wondering if they are worth the cost. I might be able to get the long block for $150.
Thoughts?
And no, I'm keeping the 5.0 for nostalgia reasons, sorry I'm a purist,

 

Lets start from the top here; Have you pulled plugs, done a compression check or anything for that matter to evaluate the health of your current LB9? For all the complaints the 305s get about not being able to make big power most of the ones I've ever seen look really good in the bores even well past 100K miles. I'd be looking at an ignition or fueling issue before I delved into the engine, and before I went too deep in I'd be taking a nice hard look at the valve springs.

L05 heads stock for stock will probably flow about the same on the intake and slightly better on the exhaust; you'll lose a lot of compression without milling however, they're +8 CC from a stock TPI head which is quite a bit.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I have some cash avail for an upgrade and was looking for heads and saw some 906 cores for $250. Some guy posted a vortec long block for $250 but it turned out to be a 5.7 TBI with 193's.
For my intentions with this car, high, low rpm torque without a need to rev past 5k, the 193's seem to compliment that goal.
The plus again was that it didn't require the special intake and if comparable then it would make cents for me to go with 193's.
I believe stock torque for the lb9 is at 300 at 4500+ rpm, I'd like to move that somewhere in the 3000 rpm range.
There is nothing wrong with the engine now, I just choose to stay under 5000 rpm, short block has 200k with rebuilt heads, which would make even more cents for me being that I would only need to pull them, debur and gasket match em and replace em saving the $150 rebuild cost for the 193's.
Other mods will be a little bigger, TPI cam, can't remember specs, hedman shorties and s small tune.
I live in sunny CA so I have to keep emissions in mind.
Thanks

 

If all you want is torque, a slow truck motor with crappy 193 heads is fine. In that case there is no point in going to a larger cam... At least not much of one.

Do you know the difference between torque and power? Im not trying to be condescending at all, power is an abstract term that cant be directly measured. It has to be computed. A lot of people have glaring misconceptions over the nature of torque and power. Power is just torque turned quickly. You can make 1000hp or 200hp with 200 ft lbs of torque. Power wins races. Power makes a car fast. Furthermore, the reason people seem to think you choose torque, or you choose horsepower. They are connected and how much power you make depends on how fast you're turning your torque. To make more torque you flow more air. To make more power you flow that air faster. With a smallblock chevy you will generally have about a 4000 RPM power band. You can have taht from idle to 4500 or you can have that from 2000 to 6000 or from 4000 to 8000. If you shift your peak torque from 300 at 3200 RPM to 300 at 2000 RPM you will lose ~30 percent of your horsepower more or less. A very high lift cam with factory duration numbers and 1.6+ rockers will claw a little of that back, but at the expense of valvetrain upgrades and longevity.

Vortec heads will make power to 6000ish and slightly beyond (assuming a 350, 305 will go higher, 383+ will be lower) with the right cam. 193 heads will be done at 4500 RPM. You will never make big hp with 193 heads. All you will have is a lot of low end torque. If that's all you want then save yourself the money (Hp costs money, torque is almost free) and just build an engine for low end torque. That said, Vortecs were still truck heads and have excellent port velocity and as such will work great with a small cam.