vortec vs aluminum
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
vortec vs aluminum
Hey guys....i posted a thread a few weeks ago about a budget l48 build. I am considering the vortec heads but after crunching numbers im wondering if im making a mistake? My reasoning is due to the fact of having to purchase the almost $200 self aligning rockers on top of the price of the heads......crowding $800. So im wondering if the edelbrock e street heads are comparable in performance to the vortecs since there is less than $200 difference when rockers are added to bill? Just a thought. Also i beleive my intake would be a few bucks cheaper as well......if the vortecs blow the e street numbers away ill stick with them but if its close should i go with the aluminum?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,990
Likes: 183
From: Port St. Lucie Fl
I agree many rags have used them to make 400+ hp without much modification, and engine master challeges has seen them produce up to 600 hp with lots of work.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
it is going to depend how you are going to build your engine, the vortec heads have smaller valves than aftermarket aluminum heads which normally have 2.02 1.60 valves. the vortecs have been around a while now and the aftermarket has left them for the most part. maybe locate some used aluminum heads and have them checked and freshened.a set of aluminum heads with some heat cycles in them can be good because they have probably moved around as far as they are going too. but they can be bad too they may be cracked. thats why i say have them checked.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
I got mine from pick a part for $100 with the valve covers, all the bolts and rockers, brought them home and checked them out, the guides were tight as new so I just bolted them on. One of the best mods I've done for the money. They came off a 96 GMC Yukon that had the motor seized up during the cash for clunkers program.
