unfuel injecting a vortec chevy v8??????

i just picked up a great very low mileage 1998 vortec 350 complete throttle body to oil pan a/c and alt to flexplate. i am putting it in a 62 chevy ii nova wagon with a 4 speed manual trans. i want to take all the efi junk off it and put an intake and carb on it . now here are my questions:

1. can i put a roller cam in it?

1a. if so how much lift? ( i want a some what ruff idle)

2. can i replace the front plastic timing cover with a metal one?

3.could i put a gear drive in it ?

4. what manual flywheel will i need? i thought all vortec 350's were autos?

thanks for any info you can give me. i dont have much experence with the later chevy engines

 

1. Yes you can put a roller cam in it, it allready has one, in fact if it is a good motor, you can reuse the lifters, just make sure you get a cam for a factory rollor block. Others might correct me but I belive you cant go any more than .500 lift with out machining.

2.I think you are stuck with the plastic cover.

3.The factory rollor cams have the same style timing chain set up as older small blocks, BUT the 3 bolts on the cam gear are closer together compared to the older ones. But I would think someone must make gears for them.

4. Not all vortecs had autos, these mostly came in pickups and trucks, and lots of them had sticks. But you can use any small block flywheel aslong as it is for the newer 1 peice rear main seal. I belive back to '88.

 

Maybe this will help...

 

Gus beat me by a minute!!

 

The steel timing cover will fit,a Vortec specific intake manifold will work fine-You will need to plumb in a coolant by p*** from the intake manifold to the suction side of the water pump.(Edelbrock's have a provision on the front of the manifold to accomadate this)
Cloyes makes a noisy or quiet gear drive for you application.
The GM ZZ4 roller cam (510/474 lift)works great in a stock Vortec motor after you modify the heads for the higher lift and install LT4 valve springs.
Most Vortecs have no provision for a mechanical fuel pump-the ZZ4/cam has the lobe-you will have to supply the pushrod and fuel pump(as long as the block has the clear p***age-some do,some dont) otherwise run an electric fuel pump.

 

Why do away with the EFI in the first place ? Yeah I know the earth is flat and carbs are the latest thing since sliced bread . There is lots written about the way a vortec works,and it is a good design. I'll get off the soap box now, just my dos centavos. S

 

man i want to do away with that plastice timing cover if i can????

i know i am stupid for gear drives!

 

well i have done this before in a 67 c-10 chevy truck and i swore i would never do it again. 1st the wiring harness with just what you need to run the engine was 600.00+ $$$. i will keep with my carb . atleast i can beat the carb with a rock and fix it with a screw driver. LOL !!!

 

Read...

 

sorry about that ! now isnt there two styles or sizes of timing covers?

 

I think the vortec heads are limited to .425 lift or something like that. Lots of kits and mods for getting more lift though. I have a polished four barrel manifold for it, p.m. me if your interested.

Ryan

 

Mill the bosses on the heads and your good...ive got a late model roller motor in my nephews malibu....a pair of cut vortecs with beehives and a 558 lift hyd roller ,went 11.60's this past weekend in a 80 malibu street car...with a lazy 1.63 60'...look into a comp xe274hr (think thats it) or 286

 

I believe it is the steel timing cover off an 87 and newer(older one may work) that you will want. If you are using a short water pump or reverse rotation corvette water pump the plastric cover is too tight to the pump.
When I did mine-the guy at the machine shop handed me one and said it was the one I needed-didnt think to ask him what year it was off.

 

Also had screw in studs and guide plates added...or save your beans , and find some fastburns.....they're worth probably 40hp...lol

 

Isnt .500 about the max flow of that head?

 

you are going to have to notch the pan if you have a stock front end.i do belive the chevy 11 pan will fit the motor

 

There are pans for a one piece rear main

 

I understand you not wanting to do it again, but don't blame it on cost. after getting an intake, carb, cam, etc. that you are talking about you will have that same $600 (at least!) into it

If I was going to put an injected motor into something I would keep the injection....

 

i have a bolt in front clip. i dont have to worry about the oil pan

 

How much did you modify the clip?

 

i used a jim weimer rod garage front bolt on mii ifs clip. i z'd it to sit lower . these front clips do not need the original nova oil pan. any oil pan will work.

 

what do you do to machine or cut bigger valve spring pockets? is this a diy on a shop drill press or do you need to take it to a machine shop???? i think i will go with the zz3/zz4 cam with the lt1 springs. i just need to figure out what needs to be done on the spring pockets to open them up.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-4721/overview/

You will need to buy the arbor seperately. The cutter can be purchased in different O.D. sizes, depending on what spring diameter you want to run. You can use a regular drill because the valve guide acts as a pilot to ensure the cutter is indexed correctly. It's super easy to do. It'll take you about an hour to do both heads, and that's taking your time.

Here's an article on how it's done:
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/148_0208_vortec_heads_valve_lift/viewall.html

It's a mod that's worth every penny. Vortec heads are a great head for the money. There is tons of information on-line about these heads.

 

and if i'm not mistaken, if you go to a early small block intake, the middle holes in the vortec heads are vertical, may have to make wedges like i did.

 

I have an idea... get the wiring harness out of the vehicle you got the engine out of , should hook right up...lol , I have taken the entire engine / ****** / wiring combo out of newer vehicles , only to place the entire wiring harness / engine / ****** out of said newer vehicle into the older vehicle , that way you see , you dont have to mess with generic wiring , every thing has its own plug in , trim off what your not gong to use , and hit the streets....just my 2 cents...

 

If you use the mid- late 80's sbc 305 cu. in aluminum intake , its a dual plain , and with a little porting and polishing , it'll do great , plus , you dont have to "wedge" the bolt holes because it matches up with the newer heads , I have had some of those intakes that bolt right up , in fact , I am looking at one right now beside me...

 

Sorry-Vortec heads require a Vortec specific intake-Only 8 bolts on a Vortec intake and they point straight down. Earlier manifolds don't work.Lots of choices for intakes from Edelbrock,Chevy Performance,Weiand,etc
Don't forget to plumb the water by-p*** from the manifold to the water pump-or heat spikes will occur. The engine you have had a water by p*** from the stock long water pump to intake-you need to replace that when you change the intake as there is no coolant by-p*** provision in the block or heads.

 

Overlap and duration have more to do with the rough idle/rumpty rumpt thing than lift does.

 

I have a '99 Vortec in my '40. I used an Edelbrock specific intake with a Carter carb,(had it in stock). A 750 CFM was recommended at the time. I made up some adapter parts for the bip*** out of 1/2" copper pipe. The plastic cover has a hole in it for some sensor or something which I filled with a soft plug ordered from GM. One thing I wasn't that happy about. The engine runs great all stock. I believe about 275 HP.

 

Could you post a pic of your water by-p*** set up?