Hello Everybody. Does any body know if I will have any problems using a 97 vortec 350 for and old chevy truck. I know that I need all the front engine idlers WP and pullies and different intake. Will Gen 1 ex. (RAM) manifolds bolt up. Im doing away with all the smog stuff. my main question is will my original style HEI distributor fit the new motor, I will be using an edelbrock intake for the 350 vortec. any help would be great.. anything else to look out for? Do I use a different intake than the old style???
I don't think you will have a problem with the early exhaust manifolds on the Vortec. Guys do that swap daily now. The one issue you didn't mention but are probably aware of is that the waterpump has to match the belt system you are running. If you run V belts you need the pump for V belts and if you run a Serpentine belt you need the reverse rotation pump. I've been planning on using a set of those heads if I build a 383 out of the original block that came out of my 71 GMC.
You don't really need the vortec front accessory stuff. Everything off a 1970s small block bolts up. You just gotta make sure the water pump matches the pulley set chosen. Those late 350s were externally balanced on the flywheel but the flange is different so there's little risk of mismatch. Not all sbcs in that era had provision for mechanical fuel pump. The block may be missing the pad, or the cam may be missing the lobe. good luck
so if the hole for the fuel pump is there, good chances that there is a cam lobe.. would you say that is correct? can a TH350 handle these new engines ?
I think everything '96 up does not have provisions for mechanical fuel pump. The Turbo 350 should handle a mild Vortec 350 with no problem if it is good shape to begin with. The engine should also have a 1 piece rear main seal which will require a matching flexplate for the converter. The older more common (2 piece rear seal) flexplates will not bolt up to the newer cranks.
man I had not even thought about the flywheel. The vortec that im getting doesnt come with it.. but that fast i found one locally. thanks to you. so early (80's) HEI dist should work? what about my early edelbrock intake.. how about electric fuel pump psi for my carb?? thanks in advance for taking the time.... to help a brother out
The HEI should work just fine. The intake MIGHT work. The Vortec intake uses less bolts than the earlier one. The center four bolts are eliminated. I don't think it will be a problem, but I've never tried it, personally. Look in Summit or Jegs for an electric pump rated for carbs. Around 7 psi should do it.
Not necessarily. GM hadn't produced a carbureted vehicle for 6 or 7 years when the fuel pump boss was finally eliminated, whole bunch of those engines didn't have fuel pump lobes. Only way to really know would be to put a pushrod up in there and turn the engine over by hand, unless the engine was on a stand and you could look up the hole. This will also be a roller cam engine, even factory roller cams need a bronze distributor gear. If you get the vortec distributor with the engine, it should have an appropriate gear that will fit your HEI. Otherwise you gotta fork over $30 for a proper gear. th350s handled a million of the old 350s. If you're expecting this one to run miraculously different, it won't. As mentioned, you need a vortec specific intake. Expect to pay an additional $100 for the intake & gasket above and beyond what gen 1 sbc parts cost. Read the intake torquing instructions 5 times and follow them religiously. IMO the vortec intake seal design is a total POS and a huge step backward. What the hell were they thinking? (for the record, what they were thinking is it's easier for factory assembly jigs if the bolts point straight down) good luck with the project
you cant go buy a bonze gear for the gm roller cam. Go to the dealership and get a new distributor gear for that engine. it will be a phelonic(nylon) gear and will last WAYYYYY longer than those bronze pieces of shit. Yur shaft on the dist. should be something like .485, unless it is an aftermarket then it may be .500. sitck with gm stuff, you will be much happier at three a.m on the side of a highway.
GM OEM roller cams and some after market cams for roller blocks use a "Mellonized" iron(steel ) gear on the distributor.The Mellonized gear is available from GM Performance and many cam grinders.I have a Comp cams roller in a roller cam SBC and that's what was recomended by Comp and GM.I haven't seen non metal gears in Vortecs myself,but that don't mean they aren't used.
sorry, thinking of the timing gears in o/t motor. You are right with the Melonized gear. Me and my endless vault of useless information.
i did that same thing in an s10 with a 98 vortec 70's hei with the gear of the stock plactis pos dist. eldelbrock intake demond carb v belt s on the front (brackets alt ect just 60-80's gm crap) 7 psi regulator withe a cheap napa electric fuel pump all 96-up gms have no hole for pump rod like everone else said it was a good running combo a little flat on the bottom end but ran good. ive hear zz4 cam or 305 cam was better? u can get them used for 50-100 bucks
The intake bolts are at a 0 angle, straight down through the head. You can make bushings or adapters out of 3/4"- 5/8" round stock 3/4"- 5/8" long and replicate the angle on one end to match angle on the the intake or older head. Use this as a big washer for the bolts and you can use any older intake manifold on the newer vortec heads.
i think intake ports are higher on vortek stuff? have to check that out im pretty sure that put an older intake on vortec heads theres 1/4 in of port above intake
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