upgrade my 350 advice

Hello,

I have a 1988 chevy 2500 truck, and have a few questions on how to go about swapping out most if not all of the top half of the motor.

Currently my truck is running the way it came from the factory more or less. It has the TBI, stock heads, and stock manifolds.

What I would like to do, is swap out the old TBI with a vortex intake, and swap out the current heads with ones made for the votex, and top it off with some decent aftermarket headers.

From the reading i have done on my own, it seems that this task doesn't seem to hard to do. I am not much of a mechanic, but to pay attention to instructions and details at all times. I also don't have much of a tool set, so before I start taking apart my engine, id like to know if there are any special tools needed to do what I want. The only thing i can think of that i don't have is a torque wrench, and I'm not sure if i need one or not.

What I am thinking, is going down to my local junk yard, and locate an intact 350 with the vortex intake, and heads that i want off of it, and put it on my truck.

The only real thing im worried about (please tell me if there's more) is when i put the new heads on my block, will I have to loosen the rocker arm bolts, or can i leave them alone, and simply put the new heads on my block with the push rods (new of course) under the rocker arms, and just torque the block down? Or is it a better idea to do it right, and pull the rocker arms off, and correctly insert/install the push rods after i have the new heads bolted on?

Getting a torque wrench wont be the end of the world, but id like to know if there's a way to do what i want without it.

Any good recommendations to a walk through, or video online showing correct installation of the heads?

Thanks.

You don't need a torque wrench for the intake bolts, exhaust bolts etc., if you have a good feel for the particular bolts and don't overtighten them.

You absolutely must have a torque wrench for the cylinder heads, or you run the risk of warping the heads and blowing the gasket.

You will have to loosen the rockers on the heads you want to install, and then properly adjust them. You don't torque these rocker nuts, or tighten them until they stop turning, unless you want an engine that doesn't start, and several bent valves over the course of trying to start an engine in such a condition.

There is a specific method to adjusting these - long story short, my long-running method is to ensure the lifter is at the base circle of the cam (the side opposite the lobe), and spin the pushrod with one hand while slowly tightening the nut with the other. When the pushrod stops spinning freely, I turn the wrench one half-turn further and stop - that valve is adjusted. Repeat this process for all 16 rockers. You will be turning the crank after each adjustment, to ensure the base circle is on the lifter of the rocker you want to adjust. Remember that one full turn of the crank spins the cam one half-turn.

Thank you for the response. Looks like I'll be getting a torque wrench.

what would be the best type of gasket kit should i get for the new heads? i was told that cork ones hold out better than the paper gaskets, but i have zero reference about it.

Thanks again.

Get a Fel-Pro Blue Stripe gasket set. As far as the valve cover gasket is concerned, all of the centerbolt heads use silicone gaskets. Cork gaskets are not used. Paper?