how to remove/reinstall vortec heads

[bigdawg]

i want to take my heads off my 350 and get them checked over its a 97 block with vortec heads stock.

do i simply unbolt the rockers and keep track of order and what rods they go to then when reassambling torque them to a specific number?

the motor sounded very good before i pulled it and i let it run for half an hour and no overheat no smoke no smell and when i took the old number 1 spark plug out there was coolant behind it ??

now i wanna get them looked over because i read that vortecs crack alot but i see after markets for 300 a piece fulley assembled and i think i can squeeze that so if worse comes to worse i got a good bottom end and there was no coolant in the oil

what do you guys think

 

[bigdawg]

it doesnt make sense to me, when the guy showed me the truck and started it, leaves and dust and sh*t was flying everywhere not the slightest tick and it fired right up no smoke no nothing i tried to avoid this

 

[Csilvy2000]

When pulling the heads, keep the valve train in the same positions as you mentioned. Before you pull those heads, check that intake gasket. If it's still the factory intake those things are known for leaking over time. Might save you some headache of tearing it all the way into it.

 

[bigdawg]

i also read that, but it isnt cracked what else would i look for

 

[bigdawg]

ive had bad head gaskets before on my original turbo motor and when it goes i always got bad smell in the exhaust and smoke i changed them like 3 times but never touched a 350 till now

 

[Csilvy2000]

The 350 is fairly easy to work on. If you're sure it's a head gasket, take it on down, get the head checked out and go back with some good quality gaskets.

Even though you didn't find a crack in the intake, don't overlook a bad gasket.

 

[bigdawg]

oh i was gonna run it first then see what happens im just getting ready for the worst lol im gonna run it around a while then let it sit a couple a days then take that plug out, coulda been coolant that fell out the intake when i took it off

so far im loving the 350 chevy i go to the junkyard and everything you could imagine is right there every bolt everything lol take a piece of a 80 something that and a part off a 70 something that lol i even see alot of nice looking aftermarket air cleaners and valve covers but i like the stock covers

 

[bigdawg]

and if the head is bad i dont think its a head gasket, this motor has like 20 head bolts to me its going to be a crack if anything

 

[tc1959]

When pulling the heads, keep the valve train in the same positions as you mentioned. Before you pull those heads, check that intake gasket. If it's still the factory intake those things are known for leaking over time. Might save you some headache of tearing it all the way into it.

X2 The Intake Gaskets will leak coolant into the Intake runners.

 

[DRIVEN]

coulda been coolant that fell out the intake when i took it off

So you haven't even run it yet?