Does anyone have experience with EngineQuest Hybrid Vortec heads? EQ-CH350GA specifically. They are Vortec styled heads with a 87-95 intake bolt pattern and center bolt valve covers (aka stock TPI / TBI lower manifolds work right out of the box - no SD vortec base needed.) They are meant as bolt-on replacements for iron L98 heads, and a few others, including heads I have now.

They do have internal EGR passages. The specs on the $400ea drop in and go pre-assembled heads are:

- 176cc intake runner
- 64cc combustion chambers
- 1.94" intake valve
- 1.50" exhaust valve
- Viton seals
- Springs Single W/D 1.25" OD X 0.78 ID 108LB @ 1.70 closed / 281LB @ 1.25 open 1.13 C/BIND (set up for a max lift .520 cam)
- 6 bolt exhaust manifold holes
- center valve cover mounting holes

These look like they'd be a drop in replacement head that'd act like vortecs. Combined with a proper cam, they seem to be pretty good. Some magazine pushed a 450HP build with them. Way cheaper than AFRs, cali smog friendly for me due to EGR passages.

I am considering these for my mild 350 TPI build (SuperRam lower and upper manifold, SLP shorty headers)

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...eq-hybrid.html

This might help

 

My search prowess proved ineffective. Shame on me.

Thanks for the link.

The price is very alluring on them. I have to play smog friendly, so the egr passages satisfy that requirement. They are better than stock L98 heads, but obviously no where near as nice as the higher-end heads. I'm just going for 300-330rwhp, so I think they may do the trick. I guess the biggest thing will be finding a TPI / emissions friendly cam to pair with it.

 

Also check this

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0611e...c-small-block/

 

I haven't read up on those particular heads, but every time I see a head advertised to fit both vortec style and earlier style intakes, Im skeptical.



Not really an issue until you use a non-vortec intake, which sounds like you plan on doing. That hotrod article used a vortec specific intake.

 

These do not fit Vortec intakes, only the 87-95 style (TPI/TBI) intakes.

The internal design of the head is more akin to Vortec heads, but not where it bolts up to the intake.

 

Ha!

I completely missed that. I seen the vortec hybrid part and made a wrong assumption didn't I!

If that's the case though, how are they a vortec "style" head, when vortecs have a raised intake runner? Vortec chamber with non-vortec runners?

 

The raised intake runner is one part of the Vortec equation, but also the chamber design. These have the latter half. That seems to be where the benefits are in regards to these over say a reworked L98 iron head.

 

Interesting.

Definitely reasonably priced aren't they.

 

I don't know... $800 a pair assembled and they won't take anything but a LT1 or 2032 cam without
reworking, also no studs. Penny wise pound foolish, few more bucks you could have aluminum.

 

I stand corrected, after further review I can't find any aluminum heads w/crossover
reasonably priced. Looks like they do supply them w/.520 lift.

 

Taking some of your other comments into consideration as well, i.e. the quality of valves and the spring pressure, it's probably best to buy these heads bare and have valves and springs of choice installed.