i have a 350 tpi motor from a 91 that i want to put vortec heads on. has anyone ever had a pair of vortecs drilled for the old intake bolt pattern? theres no way in hell i'm paying 400+ for a baseplate

should i just give up and run a carb ? i wish to have fuel injection and tpi motors look cool! thanks for any replys!

 

I think it is more than just the bolts. I think the ports are a bit off too.

 

the vortec ports are higher i planned to try to port match if possible. this is a low buck project i got $200 in the motor and $50 in the heads thus far. thats why i'm willing to risk doing this to them. (the heads)

 

There is no way to use a regular base plate on Vortec heads the ports are way to high so it would never seal. Even with the right bolt pattern.

 

i thought this may be the case. i guess i'll just save them for a carbed project.

 

You can get a TPI base which will fit vortec heads, but the price is pretty steep:
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

You can find them used, much cheaper. I was able to buy one NIB from another member here. The vortecs run VERY nicely on a TPI 350.

 

you can go to scroggy dickens ( i forgot how to spell the name ) and they sell one there a stock looking tpi base made to hook up to vortec heads

 

Don's absolutely right.

Pic is a cutaway of a standard manifold mated up to a vortec head.

 

ramjet intake would be another alternative

 

thats a great pic it explains it all! u just saved me a few hrs of bs thank you!

 

Uh... I read somewhere the Vortec heads dont have EGR ports like TPI heads and require an external type manifold hookup. Wish I could supply a link but it's been a while. Anybody heard that before or am I dreamin'??

 

I have a set of Scoggins/Dickey vortec's here, along with a vortec tpi base and you are correct, there is no exhaust crossover provision built into the heads. The intake however has a port on the back of the manifold for a external supply to the EGR system. The instructions for the base list a Scoggins/Dickey part number for the EGR supply kit #3817. It's listed on the Scoggins/Dickey web site, but no pricing. I've just emailed them to ask about pricing and availability, but am not holding my breath waiting for them to get back to me. I waited weeks and made numerous phone calls to them about a clutch dust shield for my T56 after they accepted my order and charged my card. Turns out the part had been discontinued and it took threats to the parts guy to eventually find out it had discontinued and get my money back from them. Needless to say customer service isn't one of their best points at Scoggins/Dickey.

http://www.sdpc2000.com/product/SD38...Baseplate.aspx

 

I wish they would delete this picture from the internet. It is no where near correct. You can see that it is a redrilled vortec head that was drilled too low (see gasket at port base). Next youll find this primarily on LT1 intake conversion sites as proof it wont work.

Here is a TPI base on vortec heads MOUNTED ON AN ENGINE not free floating


As you can see it covers, this is how much (intake shifted to show port alignment)


It barely covers but I would not recommend using a TPI base on vortec heads as the outside of the port is not strait (round) and would easily port thru. The gasket will raise the intake off the head slightly so a minuscule amount of upward shift is to be expected. Still not enough without building the port up slightly

 

This picture is a little off but still very correct of a vortec head even with a properly drilled bolt pattern. The vortec ports are in a raised location AND taller than a normal small block. The only way you could make the re-drilled head work is either with soemthing with ports that use a Felpro 1205 and live with the port mismatch. A gasket smaller than the Felpro 1205 will not seal to a vortec head. With a stock TPI intake you would have to heli-arc weld up an additional 1/4" above the ports to have an area for the intake gasket to seal, and even then the ports would be mis-matched.

 

Here is the reply from Scoggins/Dickey about the EGR kit.


"We do not have them available at this time because GM discontinued one
of the components that we used in the kit and we are currently looking
for a replacement for that part.

Brian Gruben
bgruben@sdpc2000.com
www.sdpc2000.com"

 

im building my own because the no longer have the kit. I welded a swagelok 90 degree fitting on my y pipe and ran a 1/2" stainless steel tube up and over the valve cover with a swagelock coupling for easy removal to access valve cover. I still have to fab up the connections for the intake. My nieghbor builds aircraft for a living so he has access to all the parts and pieces. If you went and bought the setup I have you would be looking at around $250 to $300. Also you have to have access to a TIG and a tubing bender. I should work great though.