baddriver Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I'm looking at getting a fuel injected 350 for a swap, and I need to know a little about them. I'm looking at the late 80's early 90's pre LT-1 motors. I can live without aluminum heads and reverse cooling, but I'd like to know if these motors used roller cams or hydraulic lifters. I know that the LT1's all used roller cams, and the later TPI's, but I'm not sure about the non-performance engines, of the type I'd be looking at. Other than High compression, aluminum heads, and multipoint injection, all of which I have decided that I can live without, is there anything I'm giving up by picking a much less expensive 350 TBI over an LT1 (cost difference around here is around $750 for TBI, $1250-1500 for LT1) Thanks! Jeff E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrenp Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 i needs to be a vortec any vortec engine had rooler cam!!! 96 and up i believe had the better heads! i'm not quite sure what year they started but i have one thats a 93 and thats a vortec with rooler cam. and i think they started befor that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 baddriver Some of the crate ZZ series had rollers. I have a ZZ-5 Crate (Fastburn 385) that is a roller. It had stamped rockers though. The cam I replaced it with is a Lt-4 "hotcam" which is also a roller. The specs are available at the GM performance parts web site.. Good luck... Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5foot2 Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 '86 and up I think used roller cams, maybe '88. I think it was the same time they went with one piece main seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baddriver Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 I've tried to find a "used chevy buyers guide" type thread, but no luck. Does anyone know where I can get info on all the late model small blocks? HP, TQ and what they were available in? I'm not even sure when the Vortec engines came out, although I've heard the name before. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrenp Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 i was reading this http://forums.s-series.org/viewtopic.php?t=23076 and i think they are right i remmeber seeing it some where. V8 vortec's did not start until 96 but v6 4.3's starter eirlyer 92 i believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baddriver Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Thanks, That link had lots of good info. Somewhere in there they were discussing transmissions, so I thought I'd ask if the Vortec engines use the same transmission mounting pattern as the earlier v8s? Can I bolt one up to a t-5, assuming I have the right flywheel? Vortec's use the same standard Chevy blocks, don't they? I'm sure I've seen a lot of discussion on fitting the heads to older engines, so I'm pretty sure, but could always use a second opinion. EDIT: After a little more searching, I found this post: "You guys need to be reminded. There are two main types of v8 engines in chevy trucks that have been called VORTEC. 1st- the 96-99 v8, which is cast iron block and heads, and the same dimensionally as sbc since 55. 2nd- the LS1 (LQ7, LS series) related to the LS1 in the camaro and corvette. It is a different beast, and the truck version has a tall intake as shown in the pictures in the previous post. Both are called VORTEC, but they are very different." Which answers my question. Link is below for anyone who wants to see the whole thread. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=86957&highlight=vortec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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