# Should I port the vortec heads on my truck, or leave them stock?



## Bowtie (Nov 5, 2011)

Looking for some more ponies out of my 99 Vortec 350. what do you think?


----------



## blsnelling (Nov 5, 2011)

Why of course!


----------



## Mad Professor (Nov 6, 2011)

No sense in doing the heads until you deal with restrictive intake and exhaust (get some headers w/ 2 1'2 "pipes)

'Then if you do the heads put in a better cam and chip too


----------



## splitpost (Nov 6, 2011)

your turning this into a chainsaw ,you best port it


----------



## deye223 (Nov 6, 2011)

can't wait to see the 20' bar and chain


----------



## splitpost (Nov 6, 2011)

deye223 said:


> can't wait to see the 20' bar and chain



and the 50 tooth sprocket:hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## Bowtie (Nov 6, 2011)

Mad Professor said:


> No sense in doing the heads until you deal with restrictive intake and exhaust (get some headers w/ 2 1'2 "pipes)
> 
> 'Then if you do the heads put in a better cam and chip too



Intake, done. Exhaust, done (headers and dual pipes sitting in the garage). No need for a chip, I put an edelbrock 600 carb, and wired in an HEI ignition. Added a Holley Fuel pressure regulator to limit the tank pump to 6.5 psi.


----------



## one.man.band (Nov 6, 2011)

is this a "work" truck? will you be hauling and towing?

some things to consider:
rear end ratio; auto or manual trans; overdrive trans; larger wheels and tires than stock; running stock or higher rpm's.

if by "porting" you mean, making the ports larger, will hurt a 'work' truck with auto trans and stock rear end, stock rpm range.

if by "porting" you mean, epoxy porting, making things smaller, with emphasis on increasing port velocity, IMO it would help a work truck.

learned that in the late '80's with cammed truck that was worse than stock, when it came to pulling #7500 boat.

the 600cfm vacuum secondary smaller carb you picked is a nice choice and should help add velocity.

best of luck on your build.


----------



## Officer's Match (Nov 6, 2011)

I agree about dealing with other restrictions first. Vortec's are some of the best flowing heads Chevy ever made for a mouse.


----------



## o8f150 (Nov 6, 2011)

Bowtie said:


> Looking for some more ponies out of my 99 Vortec 350. what do you think?



not trying to be an azz here but you posted on the other AS member about the leaf blower that the the leaf blower should be in another thread and not in the chainsaw thread,, here is your post,,,,,,,Sorry but this is not the leaf blower forum, it is however, the chainsaw forum. This belongs elsewhere, thank you. 
then you start a thread here in the chainsaw threads about your truck heads,,,, i personally think you need follow your own advice or are you special???? you should have posted in the off the topic thread,, not in here
i am just saying so let the bashing begin,,,,


----------



## imagineero (Nov 6, 2011)

blsnelling said:


> Why of course!
> 
> why am I not surprised? opcorn:
> 
> Shaun


----------



## Cliff R (Nov 6, 2011)

Actually, the "062" Vortec heads used in that era are already EXCELLENT parts. Without an increase in compression and a larger hydraulic roller camshaft, porting them will not show any increase in performance. Might even hurt power a tad, as the runners are already generous for the CID and camshaft used in those engines. 

What will help those engines is to put flat top pistons in it, zero deck the block, reduce quench to apprx .035-.040", and install GM's LT4 hydraulic roller camshaft.

GM Performance 24502586 - GM Performance LT4 Hot Cam Hydraulic Roller Camshafts - Overview - SummitRacing.com

This will increase power to just over 1hp per cid, and it will still manage currently available pump fuel just fine. The dyno we use is pretty "conservative", but we've made over 380hp from 350's set up in this manner, and over 400hp from using the 3.75" stroker kits in them.

While we are off topic, ditch the POS Edlebrock 600cfm AFB clone. That design was obsoleted in the late 60' when the engineers at GM could not get it to pass emission standards from the clean air act of 1968. The only good sound those carbs make around here is when they "tink" off the dumpster, and it is not nearly big enough in cfm for a well set-up 350 SBC. They need at least 700cfm, 750 would be even better.......Cliff

69tiger's Channel - YouTube


----------



## one.man.band (Nov 8, 2011)

Edlebrock 600cfm AFB clone.

kind of small, but one thing that i actually did like about the carter's, was the they were easier to tune, more so than changing jets in a holley. one backfire and the powervalve's junk. donno what kind of experience OP has with these. staying in two smaller barrels, most of the time, with a 4 barrel vacuum secondary carb, will arguably give better gas mileage, than a regular 2 barrel carb of same cfm, and much better than a 4 barrel mech secondary or dominator style.

led to believe that if he chose an AFB clone, his carb/manifold bolt pattern must be same. adapter maybe?

smaller cams are funny things, they make power with less overlap and greater cylinder pressures. the one you listed, is a nice choice. would you think it would work towing?


----------

