best year nonvortec 350?

[sharkskinman]

65 SB stepside
Nonsyncro muncie(will change to synchronized)
3.73 rear

Would like a283-327 but seems 350 may be easier/cheaper to find
Is there a"best" year to get said 350?

[Captainfab]

Are you looking for an engine to build or just a used engine to install and drive? What don't you like about the Vortec 350?

[sharkskinman]

Yes just one to buy in or out of a truck
Do minor rebuild and install

Nothing about vortex but seems more complicated fuel and some say they prefer tbi to vortec

I want just a baseline motor that I can upgrade as wanted and F.I. Isn't what I want to deal with just yet..(very familiar w/VW-Porsche F.I.)

Simple carb simple exhaust no extra nothing

[PGSigns]

Well any of the roller cam one piece rear main engines would be my pick. The first vortec engines were the 95 to 2000 small blocks with the vortec heads. That is what is in my truck. These are non LS engines and make good reliable engines. The intake is specific to the heads but still easy to get.
Jimmy

[jokerz71]

The Vortec L31 engine is still a Gen1 SBC.You can run a carb on it,or,EFI.It does need a Vortec specific intake.It's a really good engine.1 piece rear seal,roller cam/lifter setup.These motors are rated at 255 HP,but,that is the net rating as installed in a factory vehicle with factory exhaust,tuning,etc.With a good intake,4 bbl carb,& decent exhaust,these engines will hit 300 HP without breaking a sweat with the stock longblock.Add a small performance cam & 350 HP is a cinch.
You will need a flywheel for an 87 up 1 piece rear seal motor.You will also need to use an electric fuel pump because there are no provisions for a mechanical.
My 97 has 610,000 miles on it.The original motor was pulled at 248,000 mostly due to low idle oil psi.Motor was still in good shape.When torn down,there was still visible crosshatch & no ring ridge at all.It's in the process of being rebuilt now.I replaced it with a Goodwrench crate L31.(Which,by the way,you can buy a brand new L31 for less than $2000.New complete long block with oil pan,timing cover,& valve covers,not rebuilt.)That motor now has over 360,000 miles on it & still going strong.The EFI & 4 speed auto are a big contributer to that as well.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by PGSigns

Well any of the roller cam one piece rear main engines would be my pick. The first vortec engines were the 95 to 2000 small blocks with the vortec heads. That is what is in my truck. These are non LS engines and make good reliable engines. The intake is specific to the heads but still easy to get.
Jimmy

Not to nit pick,but,Vortecs weren't out in 95. 95 would still be a TBI swirl port engine.96 was the 1st year for Vortec.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by sharkskinman

Yes just one to buy in or out of a truck
Do minor rebuild and install

Nothing about vortex but seems more complicated fuel and some say they prefer tbi to vortec

I want just a baseline motor that I can upgrade as wanted and F.I. Isn't what I want to deal with just yet..(very familiar w/VW-Porsche F.I.)

Simple carb simple exhaust no extra nothing

Depends on what you want to use the truck for.If you want low end,low rpm torque,the L05 engines are great,but,if you'r planning on anything performancewise,the Vortec would be a much better choice.The TBI swirl port heads are very restrictive & pretty much quit making any power by 4500 rpm.The TBI truck engines still used flat tappet cams,but,most of the blocks can be easily converted to a roller cam,which is a good idea with the oils available today.It's not much of an issue on a stock cam with stock spring pressures,but,it can still shorten the life of the engine.

[Captainfab]

I see no reason to not use a '96-'02 L31 Vortec engine. You get a one piece rear main seal, the factory roller cam and a set of the best production heads GM produced for a small block. Just drop a carb and intake on it with a regular HEI and you'll have a great engine. You'll need to be sure to change the distributor gear to one that is compatible with the factory roller cam. The only drawback I can see to building a L31 Vortec, is that you'll have to run an electric fuel pump. But that really isn't a big deal breaker IMO.

[Figuarus]

Captain, Will the Vortec intake take a Quadrajet, or is there an adaptor needed?

[padresag]

Originally Posted by Figuarus

Captain, Will the Vortec intake take a Quadrajet, or is there an adaptor needed?

you need an aftermarket manifold, eg; edlebrock.
ron

[TJ's Chevy]

An early 70's 350 would be the "best" version I guess. Any year before the smog version would get you the best power. You can get a crate motor for a pretty darn good deal though. If you come across a 327 I'd pick it up if it runs good. It's still a SBC so they are pretty much all cheap to build or fix up.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

An early 70's 350 would be the "best" version I guess. Any year before the smog version would get you the best power. You can get a crate motor for a pretty darn good deal though. If you come across a 327 I'd pick it up if it runs good. It's still a SBC so they are pretty much all cheap to build or fix up.

Totally disagree.Nothing prior to the 96/2000 Vortec engines are comparable for price,dependability,performance.
For less than $2000,you get a brand new(not rebuilt) motor with a 100,000 mile warranty,roller cam/lifter setup,the most powerful efficient head GM has ever produced on an OEM vehicle.You would be hard pressed to even do a complete rebuild on a motor for much less than that.
It is still a Gen1 small block,so,anything that will bolt to previous years will bolt up & work on the L31,except for the intake & flywheel.If,you have a pre 86 motor,you will need a flywheel for a 1 piece rear seal motor.

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by jokerz71

Totally disagree.Nothing prior to the 96/2000 Vortec engines are comparable for price,dependability,performance.
For less than $2000,you get a brand new(not rebuilt) motor with a 100,000 mile warranty,roller cam/lifter setup,the most powerful efficient head GM has ever produced on an OEM vehicle.You would be hard pressed to even do a complete rebuild on a motor for much less than that.
It is still a Gen1 small block,so,anything that will bolt to previous years will bolt up & work on the L31,except for the intake & flywheel.If,you have a pre 86 motor,you will need a flywheel for a 1 piece rear seal motor.

Well excuse me for saying something, but I was answering the OP's Original question.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

Well excuse me for saying something, but I was answering the OP's Original question.

Sorry.I meant no harm,or,disrespect.I just said I disagree that an early 70's 350 would be the "best choice".If trying to stay period correct,then maybe so,but,not as far as the best motor overall.

[6768chevylover]

though the best 350 came out of a 67 corvette or camaro.. based on power that is..

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by 6768chevylover

though the best 350 came out of a 67 corvette or camaro.. based on power that is..

Nope.Not by a long shot.For 1 thing,the HP ratings prior to 72 were gross HP.In other words,what that engine would make on a dyno with open exhaust & no auxillary equipment pulling a load.After 72,HP ratings are net HP ratings.An engine from those years that was advertised as 300 HP,would be closer to a 225 HP rating if sold today.
The 96/2000 350 Vortec has a net HP rating of 255 HP as installed in an OEM vehicle with stock factory exhaust,emmissions equip,& factory pcm tuning.You can take that same motor & put a 4 bbl carb/intake & headers & make an easy 300 HP.The heads on this motor offer an automatic 30HP,just by bolting them on to a motor without any other changes & that's comparing them to something like Humps.Compare them to a smog head & it's more like 40 to 50 HP.
That's not mentioning the benefits of the 1 piece rear seal & roller cam/lifter setup.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by 6768chevylover

though the best 350 came out of a 67 corvette or camaro.. based on power that is..

was that HP or displacement that you were talking about?
ron

[storm9c1]

Originally Posted by 6768chevylover

though the best 350 came out of a 67 corvette or camaro.. based on power that is..

Not to nitpick but how was that power measured in 1967? bhp! Put all of the accessories on like it was measured 1972+ and you will find that the '67 motors really aren't anything crazy, corvette or not. It's still a small block. As mentioned, a L31 would still be best value for power and reliability.

Short water pump bolts right up. Can't think of anything besides the flywheel, distributor, and fuel pump that would need changed either. Electric fuel pump is easy and safe if you run it through an oil pressure switch. So my vote is also L31. With carb intake and HEI (if you want old school). By a large margin.

[slotard]

Originally Posted by jokerz71

Totally disagree.Nothing prior to the 96/2000 Vortec engines are comparable for price,dependability,performance.
For less than $2000,you get a brand new(not rebuilt) motor with a 100,000 mile warranty,roller cam/lifter setup,the most powerful efficient head GM has ever produced on an OEM vehicle.You would be hard pressed to even do a complete rebuild on a motor for much less than that.
It is still a Gen1 small block,so,anything that will bolt to previous years will bolt up & work on the L31,except for the intake & flywheel.If,you have a pre 86 motor,you will need a flywheel for a 1 piece rear seal motor.

I agree with this. Roller lifters are a big upgrade. If you want to, they allow more aggressive cam profiles without beating up the cam/lifters too much. The fact that the heads are the best factory heads they made and the RMS is less likely to leak is just icing...

[snj8198]

...not to mention adding a retro-fit roller cam to a non-roller small block is a $900-1000 upgrade. That's half the cost of an L31.

[Bigdav160]

Short water pump bolts right up.

It won't clear the plastic timing cover. Does the metal timing cover fit? Personally I don't know.

Every once in a while someone mentions the need for a coolant bypass with the vortec. Is it not cast into the block like all the other SBC's?

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

It won't clear the plastic timing cover. Does the metal timing cover fit? Personally I don't know.

Every once in a while someone mentions the need for a coolant bypass with the vortec. Is it not cast into the block like all the other SBC's?

An old style cover will work,but,requires that you silicone a couple of places as the new cover uses 2 less bolts.The block does not have the bypass cast in.The hole is there in some blocks,but,it is not open thru.Plumbing an external bypass is no big deal.

[Beaumont@]

I went through this when I rebuilt my 350. I bought up into the hype and rebuilt a Vortec 350. Great engine but I can't stand the electric fuel pump. It's expensive, loud, needs a regulator and is a pain in the ass to set up. They also require a more expensive intake. For those reasons if I could due again I would try to find a TBI block 87-95? set up for a roller cam and mechanical fuel pump.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by Beaumont@

I went through this when I rebuilt my 350. I bought up into the hype and rebuilt a Vortec 350. Great engine but I can't stand the electric fuel pump. It's expensive, loud, needs a regulator and is a pain in the ass to set up. They also require a more expensive intake. For those reasons if I could due again I would try to find a TBI block 87-95? set up for a roller cam and mechanical fuel pump.

Those blocks used an electric intank pump also.Some blocks had provisions for a mechanical pump,but,not many.A simple Mr Gasket electric pump works fine for a carb application.They are quiet & dependable.Runs about $40.Supplies 5 to 6 psi.

[Beaumont@]

Originally Posted by jokerz71

Those blocks used an electric intank pump also.Some blocks had provisions for a mechanical pump,but,not many.A simple Mr Gasket electric pump works fine for a carb application.They are quiet & dependable.Runs about $40.Supplies 5 to 6 psi.

I am using a blue holly fuel pump, maybe I'll sell it and try that pump. Yes they are rare but they are out there. I searched the junkyards for a month and found a TBI 4 bolt main with the fuel hole drilled. I pulled it but couldn't use it because the block was cracked so I went with a vortec instead.