Re: [Chevelle-List] Vortec Heads

[KEhrhardt]

In a message dated 11/18/02 8:23:31 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Hi,
Has anyone used the Chevy Vortec heads on an older motor.
I was wondering a couple things about them, such as:
Will my stock exhaust manifolds bolt up?
Do I use regular head gaskets?
In the Jegs book, it says to use self aligning rockers, yet I       don't see any listed. What are self aligning rockers? Is       this another term for roller rockers?
Is there really any performance gain to be had over stock old    school heads?
Any input will be appreciated. Thank you.
 
Dan McIntosh
64 Impala SS

Hello Dan,
             Pick up a copy of this month's Chevy High Performance magazine.  It has a very good article on the L31 Vortecs in there.  To use the Vortec heads, you will need a Vortec style intake manifold (eight bolt) and gaskets, center bolt valve covers and self-aligning rocker arms.  The stock exhaust manifolds should bolt up just fine, but personally I would invest in a good set of headers.  The self-aligning arms are not the same as roller rockers, they have a guide built into them that keeps the rocker arm over the valve stem.  If you don't go with the self-aligning rocker arms, the heads can be machined for guide plates and you can use conventional type rocker arms. If you are going to machine the heads, you might as well have the heads machined for screw-in rocker studs at the same time.  Also note that the stock Vortecs are limited with the maximum available lift to be around ! .420", so if you are going with a performance camshaft with more lift, modifications are required to the valve spring seat and valve guide area of the head as well as changing to high performance valve springs.  With these modifications the L31 heads are claimed to produce around 400hp or so on a mild 350ci SBC.  HTH

----------------------
Kurt Ehrhardt
66 Chevelle Malibu
66 Chevelle SS
ACES #1280
TC Gold #263
Enfield, CT