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What is needed for the Vortec swap?

zcarczar

zcarczar

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I know i need the heads, hopefully gettin some for $200 tommorrow. What intake do i need? I would like the GM one, but its $305, how much is the Edelbrock TBI one and what is the part number? Gaskets, what kind and whats the part number? Also, should i get a new cam, or would that make my computer go crazy? If there is anything im forgetting please let me know.
Thanks,
Jason
 
I THINK Dorian has a set w/ TBI. There has been WAY too many threads about this lately. Look around. Just about everything has been covered except for using w/ TBI.

Dorian is dyeager####. I think he has a few #s after his name.

BTW dont fall for center bolt heads thinking they are Vortecs. All heads from 86 up are CB. Vortecs have only 4 bolts per head to hold the intake down. 2 in front 2 in back, none in the center and no EGR port. (BIG IF here), IF they have been redrilled, you will still see the other threaded holes, and no EGR ports. And I dont recommend the redrilled heads. That is also covered in one of the many other treads about Vortecs.
 
I'm running TPI, so I'm in the dark on TBI manifolds.

Rumor has it that the GM Vortec intakes for carbs (and TBI I bet) are made by Edelbrock anyway, with the addition of a Chevy bowtie. I wanted a Chev intake as well (before I saw the light when I was going to go carbed) but I couldn't justify the cost difference.

EGR is a bear with the Vortecs. (no exhaust crossover) You might want to check out www.sdpc2000.com and see what you can find for intakes. (under "fuel systems" I think) I know they sell EGR conversion setups.

I think I'm going to go with plain old Fel-Pro gaskets. SDPC has all that stuff listed, but I'm going to buy most of it locally. (the "special" intake bolts, gaskets, etc)

Do realize that if buying used heads, if they are warped from use, you can have problems with head gaskets and stuff. Not to scare you, since I've never even tried, but I don't think I'd try to put used heads on a used block and *hope* that they'd seal well.
 
I've looked on the Scoggin Dickey site and i cant find the TBI vortec manifold, even though I swear I have heard of someone using it. My plans have changed though, another guy at work who I'm pretty good friends with has a vortec long block out of a 97 or 98 p/u and he said he would give it to me for free since I gave him a set of tires (I love working at a GM dealer), but the only thing wrong with the block is its got low compression on a couple cylinders. So instead could i bore out the sleeves and get new pistons and stroke it to a 383 and run my holley TBI unit with the appriorate intake instead of swapping the heads?

Also, do i need to run EGR? its not a problem for me to pass smog since im good friends with the smog guys that i work with and i just had it smogged 5 months ago. But i did read that the heated intake air is required to keep the fuel atomized in the manifold.

Hope that makes sense
Thanks,
Jason
 
Fred, that is the one i can get at dealer cost, but thanks thought, i was trying to find the Edelbrock one, if there is such a thing.
 
I just did a fairly extensive search online for a Vortec TBI intake, and I can't find one! Looks like you'll just have to go TPI. Darn. lol /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

You actually just overbore the cylinders. Sleeving is fairly costly and hard even for machine shops. But you have to bore all of them if one cylinder is bad, so a new set of pistons as well. Don't worry, shouldn't be over $150 for a good set of pistons.

Really depends *why* its got bad compression. Head gasket? (side by side low cylinders would be indicative of that, since you mentioned a couple, not one) Heads? (burnt valves, stuck?) Or maybe rings? (*should* smoke)

If you are getting the block for free, tear it down and see what it looks like inside. The reason for low compression should be fairly obvious, just make sure you know which cylinders are bad before tearing it down, so you can check them closely.

Don't know about the Holley working. I'm assuming you are saying ditch the Vortec heads, but AFAIK, there is nothing special about Vortec blocks/pistons, etc, other than probably better parts (rods probably for one) and of course the Vortec heads. Again AFAIK, since Vortec heads bolt to older blocks, the opposite should be true, old heads should bolt to a Vortec block.

As to EGR, I'd run it. Having never inspected a Vortec motor, they had to run EGR, and the only way to get the exhaust gas was via the exhaust manifolds/pipe. (witness the EGR Vortec head kits, from Corvettes perhaps? They are on the SDPC web site) So if you get the entire thing, including manifolds and EGR, it should be a pretty easy swap. If you swap heads though, you'd just need ones with the center heat crossover.

I've got a TBI intake if you need one, should be a 1988, but I can look closer if you are interested. PM me if so!

I'd run EGR, (and I'm going to) but thats me. Better cruise mileage, no power penalty, and more resistance to detonation, not to mention "legality" should you ever need to move or sell the truck. I'm really not far enough into my buildup to worry about EGR yet, I'll probably order the "kit" from SDPC with my manifold, but I should research where they get the parts from to make it, might find donors in the wrecking yard.
 
I did find the TBI intake, just cant find jack on the swap, oh well I work with a ton of GM tech's.

The tech Im getting the engine from said that the engine has like 100k miles on it and it is just wore out, I believe it was a work truck. The tech that did the work before him mis-diagnosed and did a head job on it so it should have good heads since the only have double digit miles on it.

The holley thing is about building a stroker out of the block and being able to use the Holley throttle body unit since it flows more than stock.

The EGR is going to be a lot of fun it looks like, I geuss im going to have to get real creative on this one. But hopefully i wont have to do that much work to make it work. I also think that the TBI to vortec GMPP intake manifold has all the provisions to hook the EGR up in the stock location.
Thanks,
Jason
 
If the engine is worn out, look at a complete rebuild. You already know you'll have to have the block checked out by a machine shop, and if bore wear is excessive, and I'd imagine it would be by that many miles, they will need to bore and hone the block. Thats new pistons, new rings, probably resize the connecting rods (if possible, not sure if they are "cracked" rods or whatever then or not) and new bearings throughout, probably cam as well. (maybe not the right cam for your setup in there now)

So the intake you found, is that the GMPP one or did you find that someone ELSE is making one? Really, the GMPP one (unless you found another one) looks to be the only real choice, period. Whether you want EGR or not lol.

SDPC seems down right now, but http://www.paceparts.com/product.asp?0=243&1=248&3=936 has a short description of EGR parts.
 
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