What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

school me on vortec heads

Snapped one off with a .454" lift roller cam actually. :)

Personally I think it was a fluke though, I'll give them that.
 
id have to check the article about those springs to see if they modified the studs to screw in ones, i cant remember honestly.
 
K5dreamer said:
again, with the beehive springs, the vortecs will run a .525 in lift. no machine work nessesary
Click to expand...

Once again, i'm telling you the guide and retainer will make love with anything over about .480" lift. The beehive springs can handle the lift no problem but there is still the retainer to guide clearance issue.

Dorian, beehive springs are close to $200.00 a set. Also the retainer will need to be changed to run the beehive springs as the tops are progressive wound.

Forgot to add that pressed studs are only good for just shy of about .500" lift.
 
Most 350s(especially TBI) have 72cc chambers
Click to expand...
Ummmmm.. Not true about TBI. Most All half ton trucks and some 3/4 got 64cc 9.2 to one CR 193 heads. Only the heavy duty 4 bolt main 5.7 lo3s +8500 GVW got the 74 cc 8.2 CR heads.
TBI cars also had 64 cc L98 heads.
Thats one reason why TBI made way more power stock than pre TBI Carb.
 
4X4HIGH said:
Once again, i'm telling you the guide and retainer will make love with anything over about .480" lift. The beehive springs can handle the lift no problem but there is still the retainer to guide clearance issue.

Dorian, beehive springs are close to $200.00 a set. Also the retainer will need to be changed to run the beehive springs as the tops are progressive wound.

Forgot to add that pressed studs are only good for just shy of about .500" lift.
Click to expand...

4X4HIGH is right. I have a 96 chevy with a 350 vortec motor in it and I did some research on various engine build ups with the vortec heads. EVERY single one that I read said that the vortec heads will not take anything over .460" lift before you run into trouble. One of the sites that I have been using for my builds is
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/chevrolet/smallblock/




Here is thier Vortec write up:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/hardcore/0511phr_vortec/
It says in there, and I quote," Stock Vortec heads can only take about .460-inch lift." "If you want to run a cam with more lift (as we did), you’ll have to machine the spring pockets in the heads, cut down the valve guide bosses, and install larger springs."
 
I remember now that my setup wouldn't pass the "penny thickness" test at full lift, and that was .454".

I have a feeling there is SOME variation either based on casting number or age, because there is just too much conflicting information for one max lift number to be the only correct answer.
 
dyeager535 said:
I remember now that my setup wouldn't pass the "penny thickness" test at full lift, and that was .454".

I have a feeling there is SOME variation either based on casting number or age, because there is just too much conflicting information for one max lift number to be the only correct answer.
Click to expand...

I got the Vortec head swap "package" from Scoggin Dickey a few years ago, and I had the Comp Cams 260 cam (454 lift)in the 350. These were nothing special heads, just production 062 heads. After adjusting the valves (zero lash plus 1/2 turn tightened, I had .030 minimum clearance before spring bind.
 
As i have stated many times, i dont say something unless i have researched it. as it stands i was wrong though, the beehive springs dont accomodate a .525 lift, they accomodate a .550 lift.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/vortec_valve_spring_upgrade/index.html

*ahem* These springs also increase the amount of available valve lift from 0.450 to 0.550 inch. (The spring can accommodate as much as 0.665-inch lift, but when installed at 1.800-inch height, the retainer-to-seal clearance limits lift to slightly more than 0.550 inch.) *cough cough*

*above quote taken from the article*
 
As I recall, .030 is the "minimum" clearance number I was checking for, but that was clearance between the valve locks and the guide at full lift.

Stock vortec cams are quoted as being roughly .420" max lift, since the head was essentially a brand new design (don't believe the valves are shared with anything else, stock) I don't see why GM would even bother allowing for much "extra" lift in the design, except for safety margins. It was designed as a truck head from the get-go, LS motors were where they would have to worry about high lift.

I'm just going to stop there. We are way off topic, and I see the original poster hasn't chimed in for a bit.
 
actually there is nothing special about the valves in the vortec heads. what sets them apart is the intake port design and combustion chamber design that were taken from the LT1 cylender head. but the valves are standard 1.94/1.5in valves used in all SBC engines.

the limited lift quoted before was from standard round wire springs. the beehive springs use an ovate wire that allows more compression before reaching coil bind.

the overall design of the valve spring allows the higher lift that the original design didnt account for.
 
Just keep us informed of smashed seals, broken guides, and broken valve tips. Whatever you do, don't say you weren't warned. I've been building engines for 20 years professionally and i've had my say in this post now it's up to you to make a decision on what to do. :crazy:
 
K5dreamer said:
As i have stated many times, i dont say something unless i have researched it. as it stands i was wrong though, the beehive springs dont accomodate a .525 lift, they accomodate a .550 lift.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/vortec_valve_spring_upgrade/index.html

*ahem* These springs also increase the amount of available valve lift from 0.450 to 0.550 inch. (The spring can accommodate as much as 0.665-inch lift, but when installed at 1.800-inch height, the retainer-to-seal clearance limits lift to slightly more than 0.550 inch.) *cough cough*

*above quote taken from the article*
Click to expand...
So you're saying that the CamaroCraft (a Primedia publication) article(s) are saying that the 'beehive' springs increase the clearence between the spring retainer and the valve stem seal by almost 1/8"?

4x4High & I have had our disagreements (mostly b/c we're both right, dammmit! LOL), but I'll take anything he says as much, much more reliable than anything published by Primedia. I quit reading all Primedia titles years ago. Their articles are not worth the time it takes to read them, even if it's only for the entertainment value.


edit: spelling!
 
Last edited:
ntsqd said:
So you're saying that the CamaroCraft (a Primedia publication) article(s) are saying that the 'beehive' springs increase the clearence between the spring retainer and the valve stem seal by almost 1/8"?

4x4High & I have had our disagreements (mostly b/c we're both right, dammmit! LOL), but I'll take anything he says as much, much more reliable than anything published by Primedia. I quit reading all Primedia titles years ago. Their articles are not worth the time it takes to read them, even if it's only for the entertainment valve.
Click to expand...

The only thing they are really good for is to see what other people have built and garner ideas from that. And I mean the articles about vehicles built by others, not the magazine builds. Even with them you need to just look for yourself. We all know rags like Four Wheeler will call a Dana 60 a 14 bolt and stupid **** like that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom