Vortec 350 piston/cam plans and Q

[A. G. Olphart]

Keith Black/Silvolite no longer has a functional web site, so it looks like it will be Speed-Pro/Federal Mogul hypereutectics. Besides the low compression height specials (H423NCP and the like) are there any to avoid in building a normally aspirated belly button Vortec headed 350 ? Is there a more cost effective choice than Speed-Pro? (I don't consider a piston to be be cost effective if it might self destruct at <6500 RPM , and I like the tighter fit of Hypereutectics for a street car).

 

I measured the dish in a stock piston at 9CC, but didn't think to check head gasket thickness before tossing them; they were some sort of graphite composite on either side of a metal mesh. Anyone know their compressed thickness? My best guess at stock static compression is about 9.24 (0.41 gasket) to 9.35 (.035 gasket).

 

I guess I could run H126CP (16cc dished pistons) with a.015 gasket (66cc? volume when I clean up the combustion camber and grind the valves) for 8.93 SCR, 7.41 DCR with the Comp Cams XE268H... but then the XE262H looks better to me at 7.48DCR with better mileage.

 

On the other hand, H100CP (5cc eyebrows) and .020 gasket would be 9.90SCR and 8.20DCR with a Comp Cams XE268H for more power. Is anyone running a street Z with a DCR this high (or higher) with vortecs and a carb? What kind of octane is required?

 

Will these XE cams do over 100,000 miles with good oil?

 

Anyone having suggestions as to better cam and piston choices please fire away (I really appreciate lessons learned through experience- I'm running on nothing but 'book larnin'). For a given duration the XE's seem to stand head and shoulders above the competition for power, but what happens if a person needs another 500-1000 RPM through the lights? (Even street Z's hurry once in a while ) .

 

FYI:I don't plan to run a 383 or 406 because I don't want to feed the extra Cubes. A gas hog I don't need: I'd like to drive it a lot!

 

Thanks Guys-

[DavyZ]

*bump*