last night i picked up a 350 motor for my t/a (we'll hope this one is ACTUALLY good!). The seller was positive it was a ZZ4 with cast iron heads. Either way, for $350 i picked it up. the casting number is 10243880 which the internet is screaming is a 2 bolt main vortec motor, although i can't find any info involving hp, or torque or comp or anything. I was hoping someone had a little more insight to it.

That being said, i was hoping folks could advise me if they think doing a 2032 cam and summit aluminum heads would work for this motor, i'm not super knowledgeable on engines yet, but i would figure since the L98 is a 2 bolt main, this would still be fine.

Anyone with any info, insight, or suggestions?

 

nobody knows anything about this crate motor?

 

An 880 is a Vortec era roller block. Could be 2 or 4 bolt mains. If it was a ZZ4, it would be 4 bolt mains, w/o cast iron heads. They used 113 castings which were aluminum. If I had to guess, I'd say a 96-98 GMT 800, a 96-99 GMT 880 or a 96-02 GMT 600, all probably light duty versions.

 

So basically a Truck/Van/SUV with a 5.7 Vortec. Although some 95 TBI engines ran the 880 block as well. The 880 block also found way into thousands of crate engines, even 70s smog head engines. It was also the basis for the HT383 and Marine 6.2.

 

The perfect short block for a performance build , you can use any factory style roller cam

Stock L31 Vortec truck motor as yours appears to be was about 255Hp but if it still has the original Vortec heads ( only have 4 intake bolts, not 6 like reg SBC heads ) they are a very good for performance builds
Google Vortec heads or search on here; lots of info out there

You don't state what induction you plan to run , Vortec heads require a " Vortec only" intake.

 

Thanks guys, thats a bit of a bummer that it probably only will bring 255hp. This motor isnt out of a van or truck, its a crate motor, other wise it would have more than just the casting number.
Vette: I plan on doing an N/A tpi setup, i want to ditch the cast iron heads and get summit's almuminum heads and putting the crane cam in. I think TGO erased my sig cuz maybe it was too long, but i currently have headers, 3.73 gears and an aerofoil (if those things help at all) and i also have a cool air intake for it too.

 

As it came in the truck.
With a cam change it was sold as the 350 HO crate engine making 330Hp

https://sdparts.com/details/gm-perfo...rts/19210007-0

As I said GOOGLE .
there are '000's of Vortec hot up articles online making excellent Hp with stock Vortec heads

Could have been a over the counter warranty replacement.
Only by checking out the internals ( cam , etc ) are you going to be able to tell exactly what you got

 

From what i've been able to tell, this was a crate motor. It has no vin numbers, or other numbers...which helped me and my dad decide it is a crate motor. Going off of that, according to online, this motor was sold with the ZZ4 cam.

 

it being a vortec motor though you aught to get decent mpg and power stock not the 400 hp my first gen 350 is pushing but 325-330hp off the line

 

Got a link?

IIRC, the ZZ4 cam only came in the ZZ4 crate engine that had the alum 113 heads mentioned above or the crate Fastburn 385Hp that also had alum heads ; both of which used the '880 block

You haven't given us the casting # of the cast iron heads on your engine?
If you have Vortec heads you might have the 330Hp crate engine linked above

 

Fast posted some very important information that everybody seemed to overlook:

so... we know that based on not having any VIN info that you most likely DO have a crate motor, but based on the fact that it's got iron heads, you can eliminate it as being a ZZ4. That means it's one of a million different iron-headed crate motors that used the 880 block. As Fast355 mentioned, this includes all those useless low-cost, low compression, low power smog-headed crate motors (the "260hp" wonder comes to mind). If that's the case, it's entirely possible that this motor has dished pistons, which is going to limit your combustion efficiency and your compression ratio, even if you swap the smog heads for modern 64cc chamber heads. If that's the case, I wouldn't waste my time with that shortblock. Either move on, or plan on swapping the pistons.

 

http://www.camaros.net/forums/archiv...p/t-76216.html
says variations have the ZZ4 roller cam. I once came across that GM uses the ZZ4 roller cam in a lot of their crate motors, as its intended to be close to the lobe pattern of the 67-69 camaro motor. i cant remember where i read it though to quote it

 

Read what Jim85IROC said above .
Once you tell us what heads are on it you will know what is likely to be

Observe your link states
"10243880, 350, 95-96, 2, Goodwrench Crate Motor".
and "Vortec truck, Gen.I crate motors and ZZ4"
Nowhere does it state the ZZ4 cam being used in any '880 block based engine (other than the ZZ4 crate engine obviously )

The 330Hp crate engine I linked above has that cam. "The camshaft is a modern dual pattern interpretation of the 1965-67 Corvette 327 cam"
435"/.460" 212 /222

Nothing like the ZZ4 cam .474"/510" 208/221

 

Ok, me and my pops are pulling off the heads this weekend (since i want to ditch the cast iron heads) and ill see if hteres any casting numbers on it

 

No need to , just pull a rocker cover off and look between the springs

 

ah...very good then.

 

Heads cam it summit ones will do fine but dont buy the 2032 if you found one as they are way over priced. Do a similar lunati or comp grind and be happy. Just match intake manifold to the heads and cam you chose

 

As of late I really like several of the Isky hydraulic roller cam grinds. They do not go overboard with lift or ramp rate so you do not need to run massive spring rates or seat pressures. Generally they specifiy about 115 lbs of seat pressure and 270-280 open running a 310 lb/in spring rate. If it turns out to have vortec heads, LT4 springs on a LT4 retainer/keeper combination in my exprerience will closely satisfy this requirement and allow up to .525" lift on untouched heads. The LT4 springs only have around 100-105 lbs of seat pressure but have a higher spring rate at 330 lbs/ing that brings them up to the values Isky wants as lift increases. Its really the over the nose pressure that controls the valvetrain anyway and keeps the lifter roller in contact with the cam. Just my personal preference that works well for me. Isky also tends to grind most of their cams straight up as opposed to 4* advanced like Comp or Crane. It makes for more HP from a smaller cam with similar torque.

 

i finally got around to pulling the heads (had to check to make sure there was no ridge) and found what appears to be a casting number....which looks like 14101089 or 83. I did a quick google search and couldnt find anything. the owner said they were basically vortec heads

 

Read post # 5 above; how to identify Vortec heads.

 

I never said they were vortec heads...i said i was told they were basically vortec heads. I dont remember off hand the intake bolts on the heads, i'd have to take another look. we were more concerned about if the motor had a ridge (since the guy was already wrong about the motor being a ZZ4) and finding out what the casting numbers were on these heads

 

i think i found the ifo at: http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/perform...CATID=671.html

that site states "This is a cast iron cylinder head assembly used on 285 hp 350 engine (P/N 12353641). This complete cylinder head assembly includes 1.94" intake valves, 1.50" exhaust valves, valve springs (P/N 3901068) and valve spring caps (P/N 14003978). Technical Notes: This cylinder head has 64cc chambers. The cast number for this head is P/N 14101083 or 14096217. This cylinder head has 1987 and later inlet manifold bolt pattern. The center two bolts are at a 72º angle."

 

'083 head
A cast iron TPI head

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...?highlight=083
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...pros-cons.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/post...506-post2.html
Buyer beware
Vortec is GM's name for all it's truck engines so while the seller may be " right " in stating they came off a "Vortec " engine
they are not the '96 - '00 "Vortec" heads everyone is talking about for perf use.

 

i saw those links on google after i realized the ending of the head# was 083. I am aware the vortecs came off the trucks, although i wasnt looking for a motor with the vortec heads i know a lot of people are seeking. I actually went to look at the motor cuz i thought it had aluminum heads (which is what i'm going to put on it) until i saw it in person. from what i've heard some people saying...the vortec heads folks are looking for are a lot of work and not a whole lot of gain from them.
the heads from this crate motor i bought (from what i've read) are capable of sustaining upto 400hp. not that i ever plan on going over that, i just dont want cast iron heads.
I wonder how much i can get for these heads which have 5k miles on them....

 

Sounds like you are listening to the wrong people.
The heads are so good , there is no work really worth doing to them to improve them,
other than fitting $80 worth of valve springs if you want higher than stock valve lift

The reason the Vortecs are so popular is because Vortec heads are the best performing STOCK SBC heads you can buy, period .
Are readily available ,( used on '000's of trucks ) and relatively cheap in the bang for $$$ dept.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...083-5-7-a.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...350-heads.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...350-5-7-a.html

 

thanks.

 

The owner lied. 083 heads are not anywhere near vortec heads.