I cant make up my mind?? If I got with Vortec I have to get a new intake, Go with zz4 (l98) I can keep my Performer and get a set of roller/ rail rockers with the heads (they are used 500 mi).................. I know I can do 400/400 out of the vortec, but what about the zz4 havent heard much about them except the zz crate engine?

Heres what I am thinking, 350 4bolt bored .020 or .030 scat forged stroker, eagle H beam rods w/arp (600-625) grams, are these rods overkill? And the Vortec or zz4 head, performer intake. undecided about what pistions and cam and carb. now I have a carter 650 I am almost sure thats not enough. Could this get 400 hp/ 400tq at the flwheel at 4500 ft elevation

make sugg as needed, I can get the zz4 heads at about 650.00 and figure the vortces for about the some w/screw in studs and good for about 550 lift, but then have to buy the intake??

Thanks Tom

 

I noticed no one had replied to you so I thought I would give it a swing. Looks like to me you are building a motor from a block you already have. Good way to save some denero. I think you should consider that the vortec heads are limited in Stock Form on how much lift you can have as valve spring binding is a problem. Further more, I person may say just get bigger valve springs. And yes this is an option but one must have the heads machined to accept the bigger springs as the spring seats are too small in diameter. So if you are going with a cam that has substantial lift the vortecs will cost you some money to go with them. Here are some specs

Valve sizes: 1.94/1.50-inch intake/exhaust, 11/32-inch stem
Intake runner: 170 cc
Chamber: 64 cc
Valvesprings: Single wire w/damper 1.235-inch od, 0.875-inch id 75-pound seat pressure @ 1.700-inch installed height Coil-bind @ 1.150 inches
Valvespring seat: 1.300-inch od, 0.850-inch id
Valve-guide seals: Viton rubber positive seals Total 0.450-inch retainer-to-seal clearance
Max valve lift: 0.420-inch (allows 0.030-inch retainer-to-seal)
Rocker stud: Press-in, 3/8-inch diameter No guideplates
Intake bolt pattern: Four bolts per side
Spark-plug style: 14 mm, ¾-inch reach, tapered seat
Spark plug: AC R44TS, AC R44LTS, AC Rapid Fire #8 RS12YC Champion, Autolite 104 or 26, ACCEL 516, Bosch HR10B or HR10BX, HR9DC
Rocker arm: Guided style necessary
Valve cover: Center-bolt style

The Fast Burns are the ones that come on the ZZ4 are generally of the complete combustion concept similar to the Vortec but are aluminum have old style intake and all that. The ZZ4 has .509 lift so the springs and such aren't a problem. Also the ZZ4 engine has roller rockers so the fast burns may already have the proper screw in studs for the rockers too. As I recall the best flowing heads outside of GM ball park were the AFR series heads , The Trick Flows they had the best mid lift flow. This is according to in depth flow bench testing Chevy Hi Performance Magazine did on Dozens of heads ,,, check out their website its in there somewhere. Good Luck,, if you got the DOUGH you got the GO,,,, My vote is the Fast burns

 

Thanks for the reply, I have heard that AFR heads have poor oil flow design. The ZZ4 heads are cast and do have the rollertips on them. You can get some beefed up vortecs from Scoggin Dickey for about 650 a set with the screw in studs and good to about .550 lift. But then you have to get the new intake. I was told that the ZZ4 head was nothing special just the late 80's L98 head, SOOO Many choises. I have a block 4 bolt main never bored and in good shape that I have plans for, also if I went with a 383 would those heads have enough air flow to get good pwr. I guess I should bite the bullet and get some dart or brodix cnc head and never buy another set again????


Thanks for the Reply,

Tom

 

Here is what I'm thinking! Check out the Chevy Hi Performance website they just built a Killer 383 with Edelbroc Etec heads and a dual 4 barrel carb set up from Edelbrock. They have done several build ups using all kinds of heads and so forth. 1st thing I would do if I were you is decide what kind of engine are you going to build... Is this going to be a Torque monster from off Idle to say 5,000- 5500rpm. If so I think you'll find the latest issue of Chevy Hi Performance interesting.. I have no affiliation with the magazine but I find they do more real life stuff that a normal joe can do. If your going to do a mostly torque motor I think the Vortecs ,, Etecs ,, Fast burns, any of them will be fine. However if your going to do a Wild Side, Solid lifter, 2,000 rpm to 6500 or 7,000 rpm motor,, then we need to think about opening up the runner volume to say around 200cc, and possibly CNC. They have got some great Desktop Dyno's on the market and I think they would help you a lot. If you know the weight of your car and that you will be running a carb of certain size this helps too. The main thing I would do right now is determine where you want to use the car the most,, if you want to grudge match on saturday nights at the drags,, it would probably be wise to with the Brodix,,, AFR,, Trick Flow,, DArt or something of that nature,, if your looking for good manners around town,, lower compression (in the 9's) and so forth I would go GM something or other. Another tid bit about the Chevy Hi Performance website,,, they have done many tests on all kinds of heads,, check out the flow numbers,, I think all of the heads you are speaking of have flow bench numbers on the site,, I will double check to be sure check this out,,, they have it all,, http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...98/index4.html

I haven't done much research on the AFR heads but you are the first person I have ever heard talk about problems with them. Anyway if your going with the 383 a carb, the performer manifold which is only designed for off Idle to 5500 max,, then I think the smaller heads would be o.k. pumping up your bottom end torque,, especially if your going with a lower compression ratio. However if not then its a new game in my opinion. Check that sight,, and some of their buildups and see what you think then.

 

I don't know what sort of smog inspections you have to deal with in N.M. if any, but here in Cali, the problem with AFR heads is that the basic heads are race heads. They quote a low price of $1400.00 or so, but I think that is pretty much bare heads. By the time you have them machined and ready to install, you've got $2500.00 invested. The heads that a lot of guys here in So Cal have had good luck with are the Trick Flow 23* heads. A set ready to go with dual valve springs are only about $1100.00 a set. All of the tests I've seen, they flow almost as well as AFRs. Guys in my f-body car club are pulling close to 400 hp at the rear wheels on motor with 350s with those heads, and these are all Cali smog legal cars.