vortec head solution

For anyone looking to use the cast iron vortec heads on a project, but have held back because of the limit on lift assosiated with them, the solution is offered by comp cams. with standard springs the vortec heads are limited to around .450 lift. Comp cams offers a beehive spring that fits directly onto the vortec heads, and will allow up to .550 in of lift. with no costly machine work nessesary. The beehive springs have also been proven to offer better high rpm valvetrain stability as well.

the part numbers are

PN 26915 for the light spring
PN 26918 for the heavy duty spring

either set costs 186 bucks
retainers are PN 774 and cost 59 bucks

keepers (7 degree) are PN 648-16 and cost 28 bucks

just a heads up for all those who are looking to get around the lift issue on Iron vortec heads without machine work.

That is good news! I dont see how being beehive would make a difference. But hey if the work, they work! If they really do work all the way up to .550" lift that is a great deal. Is the fact that vortec heads have cast iron valve guides a real problem, or is it just "not quite" as good as bronze? Thanks for the info.

I could go buy a pair from Summit now and just put $186 into them and absoluetly desimate my old camel humps I have. Now I will just need to find a buyer for a pair of old 462s...

For anyone looking to use the cast iron vortec heads on a project, but have held back because of the limit on lift assosiated with them, the solution is offered by comp cams. with standard springs the vortec heads are limited to around .450 lift. Comp cams offers a beehive spring that fits directly onto the vortec heads, and will allow up to .550 in of lift. with no costly machine work nessesary. The beehive springs have also been proven to offer better high rpm valvetrain stability as well.

the part numbers are

PN 26915 for the light spring
PN 26918 for the heavy duty spring

either set costs 186 bucks
retainers are PN 774 and cost 59 bucks

keepers (7 degree) are PN 648-16 and cost 28 bucks

just a heads up for all those who are looking to get around the lift issue on Iron vortec heads without machine work.I looked at Comp Cam's website and it says those valve springs are for Gen III motors. Here is the online catalog (http://www.compcams.com/Technical/CurrentCatalog/HTML/329-338.asp)
I am confused.

Wouldn't the valve guides still need to be machined down, or does that just depend on what rockers you use? Anyways...the majority of the machine work is the spring bosses so these springs are going to seriously save me cash. 89...YOU ROCK!! I'm going top be starting on my heads next month, Thanks man.

just have the heads machined for newer bigger springs...thats how i had mine set up

normally one has to take the heads to a machine shop and machine down the valve guide bosses to accept aftermarket springs that handle .500"+ lift. If one does not have to machine down the bosses and still have the ability to handle .500"+ lift that would reduce costs and could be put together with standard tools.

So does this really work?

Don't forget, those studs are pressed in. You'd want to either pin them or replace them with screw in studs.

I bought my Vortec L31 Heads from Tri-State Cylinder Head, a company in Indiana. They sell their stuff on ebay. I got both for around $500 and they already completely re-work them and everything: valve job, new springs (good for .500 lift), screw-in studs, all the good stuff. If you're looking for some you should call them, they do this stuff for a living. Nice people to work with also. 812-421-0095 Tri-State Cylinder Head, you can find them on eBay too. (P.S. they didn't pay me to say that)