I am still wanting to build up an engine for my car and I sold the 355 4-bolt that I had because of the cost of retrofitting over to roller cam in the older blocks. I see alot of the vortec long blocks on ebay and was curious if I could use the block and crank and still put a set of alum. L98 heads on it and put in a CompuCam hyd. rolller cam shaft in it? 4-bolt L98 blocks are getting hard to find.

 

Far as i can tell they are very similar. Should me nothing really different in the two.

 

as i recall it's not a problem, just use the water pump from the vortec if possible.

 

if its a vortec truck long block it won't be a roller motor.

 

The vortec V8 motors went into gm trucks starting in the 1996 model year. I have one in my '69 camaro. It came from the factory with a roller cam. I know this because I changed the cam and put a compcams roller cam in it and reused my roller lifters. If you have the old style v-belt setup do not use the factory water pump that may come on a long block. It is for a serpentine style belt and turns the wrong way. I used the pump off my old motor.

 

that's correct, the L31 is roller.

 

Sorry, my bad

 

The Vortec motor uses a roller cam and the early style waterpump
will work fine. I am using a Vortec short block with all the normal
TPI goodies including the water pump.

 

My 350 is a 1996 Vortec block. The only difference is the water passage hole for the water pump. It may or may not be there. Mine has it, but my dad's 1997 Vortec block doesnt have it. I dunno what problem that would cause.

 

The block shows to fit 96-00 on trucks and 96-01 on vans
and also 99-00 on the Escalade, cylinder assy# 12556121
which is a rotating shortblock.

 

Forgot about the water bypass. I ran a 3/8" line from the intake coolant port to a port I made on the side of the water pump. It works fine.