palmerxj

I picked up what I was told a 99 Vortec 350 4blt block and heads out of a truck for nearly nothing for an engine swap project. The only thing that was wrong with it was a burned piston.

I want to make sure that what I have is worth investing in. Here are the casting numbers. I've looked them up on the Mortec site and got this information.

Block = 10243880...350...95-00...2 or 4...Vortec truck, Gen.I crate motors and "ZZ4", roller cam, one piece rear seal

Crank = 14088526 1986-on

Heads = 12558062...98......350..........L31 Vortec, truck, 64cc chambers, 1.94/1.5, 170cc intake port

My big question is does this use that same firing order used on all the older sb's and can I use any set of heads and cams that fit other Gen I or II blocks? I'm pretty sure it does since the crank is from 86-up, I just want to make sure.

TIA

1997bird

iTrader: (2)

The firing order's are the same. You can use a factory Hyd roller cam or a retro-fit style cam from the earlier Gen 1's, just make sure you use the matching timing chain for the cam style used. As for the heads they will enterchange with the earlier Gen1's (not the Gen 2's). But if you plan to use a set of older GM casting heads, just know that they don't flow as well as the late model vortec's (96 and later).

palmerxj

I ended up getting a set of Vortec heads for this and a zz4 cam. I also bought a set of hyd roller lifters, the guide plates, and push rods for that cam.

Now here is my new problem. The motor is almost all together and I'm trying to adjust the lifters.

When I follow these directions something doesn't seem right:

With #1 at TDC. adjust exhaust on cylinders 1,3,4,and 8....intake on 1, 2, 5, and 7. Rotate engine 180 degrees or one revolution and adjust exhaust on 2,5,6, and 7...then intake 3, 4, 6, and 8

Here's my issue. I can clearly see that both the lifters are at the bottom of the lobes so they are easy to adjust properly, now when I go to the #8 exhaust it's not at the bottom of the lobe so I can't adjust it properly if the pushrod is trying to push the valve open.

I know the timing chain is on properly and since #1 is where it should be what else could be the problem unless I was shipped the wrong cam.

Should I just adjust them by individual cylinder be turning the crank to the tdc of each cylinders compression stroke?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

angel71rs

It's not uncommon to be on 6 instead of 1. With the intake off you can see the lifters, so pick one that is obviously not on the base circle. If it is 5 exhaust, for example, then it must be at #1 TDC, firing.

I always use the ICEO method to avoid all that. I do one bank at a time. Rotate the engine till you see an Intake starting to Close. Adjust that cylinder's exhaust. Rotate till you see an Exhaust start to Open. Adjust that cylinder's intake.

Do this till all the valves are adjusted on that bank. I keep an eye on them all and adjust them as I see them open/close. If readjusting on an engine that already ran, I put a small piece of paper into the rocker to mark the ones I already adjusted.

Doing it this way ensures you are on the base circle of the lifter being adjusted. This method works on any engine, any firing order, solid or hydraulic cam. For reference, you can tell which is the exhaust on an engine by looking to see which aligns with the exhaust port.