bad vibration

[philo_beddoe]

Same here, but i wiped out the entire population, dont tell irish. Lol

[Irish_Alley]

lol i dont mind killing thins if i eat them. which is why i dont kill mice, but squirrels are a different story even though they are just bigger mice. never tried muskrat even though lot of local eat them lol

[philo_beddoe]

Lol i knew you'd find this post. I dont mind killing things that eat my squarebody. Lol

[Irish_Alley]

lol anything that touches a square is fair game

[philo_beddoe]

Lol again! I concur, totally!

[LTZ C20]

Oh yea, vortec engines are a one piece rear main seal which are way easier to replace than a two piece.

[philo_beddoe]

Whats everyone's opinion of the vortec vs. traditional 350? Of course,,,Vile would not do me wrong and his advice/opinion is worth its weight in gold,,and - his opinion by itself is enough. So, with that said...

I am just curious of what your opinions are. Of course, from those that have owned or experienced both types of engines. I know that the REAL expensive engines that chevy performance sells, the ones like 7k and more all have the vortec heads and roller cams. That's gotta mean something...

[LTZ C20]

Anything from from Chevrolet Performance that is over 7K will not be a traditional small black anyway, it will be either some variation of a high HP LS engine or a big block.

I think you may have some confusion here, tell me if I'm wrong.

"VORTEC" was a line of engines GM has been using in various cars and trucks starting in 1999. This line includes the 4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0L and 6.2L V8's. The 8100 8.1L 496ci big block V8, the 4.6L V6, as well as an in line 4 and 5 cylinder used in the small trucks like Colorado's and Trailblazers. And last but not least, the 5.7L small block 350 and the 7.4L big block 454 used in the 90s trucks.

The 5.7L small block 350 and the 7.4L big block 454 are not LS engines. They are traditional cast iron block engines with roller cams and fuel injection, GM just started the line of Vortec engines with these two models by putting the word "VORTEC" on the intake for all to see when you open the hood.

Now, the 5.7L specifically, has the best flowing, most efficient cylinder heads (according to most people) than any other stock cast iron GM heads. These heads came on the 90s Vortec 350s, thus the heads earned the nickname "Vortec heads".

So when most people refer to using vortec heads on a 350, they are referring to the cast iron stock heads from the 90s. When someone says they are going to use a Vortec engine for some kind of application I usually ask them if they are referring to the small blocks of the 90s or if they are referring to the LS series engines that started being used in 1999.

The picture Zieg posted in post #226 is cast iron small block vortec.

The picture you posted in post #228 is a Vortec engine yes, but only because GM labeled it that to continue the "VORTEC" line. It is an LS based engine.

If you have any more questions about which is which, let me know.

You can take a 90s 350, buy an carburetor intake manifold for it, freshen up the engine with new gaskets and seals, use only stock parts on it, paint the whole thing the original blue color your engine in your truck would have been when new, drop in in your truck and to anyone who had no idea what they were looking at (80% of the general population) it would look completely original. It would take someone (much like us on this site) to notice that you have a newer engine disguised as on original.

And honestly, because of the advantages of roller cams and how that engine is more efficient than the older engines, that last paragraph about buying an intake and painting original is what I would do. Then you can putter around for years and should be just fine.

I put a 90s vortec short block in my 73 when the flat tappet cam 350 I built for it spun a connecting rod bearing. I much prefer it over the flat tappet engine. So that means my 73 C20 and my 97 Silverado have the same engine block configuration. The one in my 73 tho is bored and has aftermarket power parts tho, my 97 is all original.

[philo_beddoe]

Ok, thanks LTZ for the info. Perhaps I was looking at the wrong ones. There is a couple of sb's a little over 6k. But your correct, anything over 7k is the LS series and BB's. And then there is this one, which I was going to get, but it might not look stock-ish and slightly over price range. lol

https://chevroletperformanceparts.com/p/anniversary-edition-427-2

Need to wait to hear from Vile anyway, hope this vortec deal works out. If not, then the old school 350 it is, from summit.  Thanks again..

[roundhouse]

The roller cams started in 1996
Anything older has a flat tappet and will most likely also have worn down lobes

I think you can reuse the intake from the older engine on the 96-99 vortec by drilling out a couple of holes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[philo_beddoe]

Ok, so i'm gonna want 96 or up. We'll see what Vile comes up with.

[blazer74]

Not all vortec blocks have the drilled fuel pump boss for the mechanical fuel pump.

[philo_beddoe]

Right, i have the old mechanical diaphram style, i'll let Vile address that,,,obviously.

[VileZambonie]

waiting to hear back but with all of this snow, everything is delayed including the delivery of my new TIG welder 

[philo_beddoe]

Yes sir, no rush, gives me more time to save $. Its snowing as i type, and its going to be cold, salt trucks going by every 1/2 hr. !   And thanks! Keep me posted.