aluminum vortec heads on a non vortec 350 tbi

[bizzyboi]

cleaning up my pops garage we found a set of aluminum vortec heads( if u saw his garage u would understand how this could be lost) anyway i pulled a tbi 350 from and early 90's tahoe(lo5). i plan on using a carb not not the tbi setup. what would i need to do to use these on my engine? i want to run headers do i need vortec headers or can gen 1 headers be used? also what about the intake manifold? we have some of the newer center bolt angled intakes could these be used or not? also i've read somewhere that steam holes need to be drilled? im not using roller lifters but my block has the provisions for the gridle thing, would i have to convert to a roller cam or can i still use the flat lifters and cam? any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[CHRIS.O]

Are they the aftermarket vortec heads or out of a junkyard. Just wondering cuz gm didn't put an aluminum vortec head on their trucks that I know of. Are they l98's instead? Doesn't matter either way. You should be able to use a centerbolt intake. No you do not have to drill steam holes. That would only need to be done if you were putting them on a 400. You can use a hydraulic flat tappet cam and lifters if you want but if your block is already set up for it I would buy a hydraulic roller cam and lifters. No risk in wiping a lobe, more power and longevity. Regular headers can be used. Hope that answered all your questions.

 

[chevy2480]

Correct me if i am wrong her Chris.o he said the motor was out of a truck but the heads where found in a buddies garage. Anyway if not aftermarket the only alluminum vortec heads used in production would be reverse flow coolant and would not work. Right or wrong?

 

[bizzyboi]

not sure what they come off, could you find out by a casting # or some other type of identifier? as far as the intake is concerned by center bolt intake are you reffering to a bolt pattern like off a tbi intake or something else? i most likely would use this cam and flat tappet lifters i have now, because im really trying to build this engine out of spare parts we have laying around. i have another block that has roller lifters but a stock cam. i dont think roller lifters have to be broken in? could i use my current cam and convert the lifters? the intake i have is a edelbrock performer rpm, we cut slots into the center bolts to use with later heads.

 

[chevy2480]

Casting number would give you the info needed. Post it up.

 

[chevy2480]

Some heads like the older heads have 12 bolts all on the same angle.
The next generation heads have 12 bolts but the center 2 on both side are a little more strait up
Then the newer sbc heads had 8 bolts total 2 on each corner and non in the middle.
If your current cam is a flat tappit no you can not put roller lifers on it. It will not work.

 

[bizzyboi]

ok theses are not vortec heads they are lt1 heads these not gonna work,

 

[RITTER]

The big misconception here is that people think that any GM heads that are not a perimeter style valve cover, are VORTEC heads ... NO they are not Every V8 GM head from like 1986 had center bolt valve covers. The 5.7L "VORTEC" engine was produced what, like 3-4 years starting in like 1998 :idea:

:idea: pretty sure there is no such thing as an factory aluminum vortec head :idea:

 

[bizzyboi]

i just knew they were aluminum heads for a sbc, i dont have alot of experience with these engines so i am learning. btw these are stock aluminum lt1 heads, i dont know if they are considered vortec or not, but either way they wont work for me so ill stick with the iron heads for now,, maybe you could point me into the right direction and tell me what vehicles came with vortec heads that i could use?

 

[jrm81bu]

5.7L "VORTEC" engine was produced what, like 3-4 years starting in like 1998 :idea:

They started in 1996 and continued til 2002. Although after 2000 they were really only in the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks and vans.

maybe you could point me into the right direction and tell me what vehicles came with vortec heads that i could use?

Look in Chevy and GMC trucks and vans. Also Tahoes, Yukons, Suburbans. And look in the years listed above. Just keep in mind there is also the LS based 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 liter engines that are called Vortecs in some of the same vehicles. You will be looking for a 5.7 liter vortec.