MikeSyclone
New member
just curious what the total cost of vortec heads cost some of you. i dont think i need the full port and polish. so what have you all spent for the heads, conversion, cam, rockers...the whole sha-bang
total cost of heads/cam
- Thread starter MikeSyclone
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Black Knight
I Glow Therefore I am
Re: total cost of heads/cam
Used heads w/the lower ported and polished was in the $600 neighborhood IIRC.
Used heads w/the lower ported and polished was in the $600 neighborhood IIRC.
Tooky
Serious about performance
Re: total cost of heads/cam
How did you do it for $600?
RPM charges $250 to machine the lower intake. A spare lower intake costs $350-$400 if you don't want to modify your original. RPM charges $250 to port the lower intake if you go that route. I think Waller does them for ~$200 if you don't need the welds "stock appearing".
I'll be ultra conservative and say $200 for the intake machining, no porting, and let's assume you sacrifice your original.
$100 would be a fantastic deal for used, assembled, re-usable vortec heads, but the stock valve springs can't handle anything over .450 lift or so because the valve guide is huge in width and height. All the popular Comp cams are .500" lift so you need to do machine work on the valve guides/seats. Here's a local machine shop: http://www.cs-performance.net/pricing/,
CUT FOR LARGER SPRINGS (Pair) $32.00 . A set of LS6 springs is around $150. After machining the valve seats now you need different valve stem seals, ~$15.
I've never seen Comp roller cams sell for cheaper than $250. Plus a timing set $40.
The necessary gaskets will run at least $150 by the time you include head gaskets and intake gaskets. I won't bother including pushrods or rockers, we can assume you're reusing the stock rockers, pushrods, and roller lifters (unlikely but I'm giving a big benefit of the doubt here).
I total $937. If you know a way to cut $300 out of this, let me know - I love to save money.
How did you do it for $600?
RPM charges $250 to machine the lower intake. A spare lower intake costs $350-$400 if you don't want to modify your original. RPM charges $250 to port the lower intake if you go that route. I think Waller does them for ~$200 if you don't need the welds "stock appearing".
I'll be ultra conservative and say $200 for the intake machining, no porting, and let's assume you sacrifice your original.
$100 would be a fantastic deal for used, assembled, re-usable vortec heads, but the stock valve springs can't handle anything over .450 lift or so because the valve guide is huge in width and height. All the popular Comp cams are .500" lift so you need to do machine work on the valve guides/seats. Here's a local machine shop: http://www.cs-performance.net/pricing/,
CUT FOR LARGER SPRINGS (Pair) $32.00 . A set of LS6 springs is around $150. After machining the valve seats now you need different valve stem seals, ~$15.
I've never seen Comp roller cams sell for cheaper than $250. Plus a timing set $40.
The necessary gaskets will run at least $150 by the time you include head gaskets and intake gaskets. I won't bother including pushrods or rockers, we can assume you're reusing the stock rockers, pushrods, and roller lifters (unlikely but I'm giving a big benefit of the doubt here).
I total $937. If you know a way to cut $300 out of this, let me know - I love to save money.
MikeSyclone
New member
Re: total cost of heads/cam
i would be happy to spend 1500 from top to bottom for a complete heads/cam setup
i would be happy to spend 1500 from top to bottom for a complete heads/cam setup
dgoodhue
BuSTeD 4.3
Re: total cost of heads/cam
I agree. If you want to put in a cam with over .450 Lift (ie Comp Cams 412, 415, 422)
I looked at my spreadsheet of expenses. I am not doing a cam with over .450 lift so I didn't need these items *
*$450 Pushrods, Lifters, LS1 Beehives Springs, Retainers, & Timing Chain
*$350 Roller Rockers & Studs
*$250 Cam (I was going to spend more $ on E-rue Custom Cam)
$150 Vortec Heads
$75 Drill the heads for the intake pattern
$? Redrill the rocker studs for english bolt pattern
$250 Modifying the lower Intake
$225 Spare Lower Intake (I got a good deal)
$175 Gaskets
I also did new stock sized valves $145 and I am doing valve job as well. I did my own porting for port match the intake and I am going to port match the heads as well.
As you can see the valvetrain parts really add up quick.
TookyCat said:How did you do it for $600?
RPM charges $250 to machine the lower intake. A spare lower intake costs $350-$400 if you don't want to modify your original. RPM charges $250 to port the lower intake if you go that route. I think Waller does them for ~$200 if you don't need the welds "stock appearing".
I'll be ultra conservative and say $200 for the intake machining, no porting, and let's assume you sacrifice your original.
$100 would be a fantastic deal for used, assembled, re-usable vortec heads, but the stock valve springs can't handle anything over .450 lift or so because the valve guide is huge in width and height. All the popular Comp cams are .500" lift so you need to do machine work on the valve guides/seats. Here's a local machine shop: http://www.cs-performance.net/pricing/,
CUT FOR LARGER SPRINGS (Pair) $32.00 . A set of LS6 springs is around $150. After machining the valve seats now you need different valve stem seals, ~$15.
I've never seen Comp roller cams sell for cheaper than $250. Plus a timing set $40.
The necessary gaskets will run at least $150 by the time you include head gaskets and intake gaskets. I won't bother including pushrods or rockers, we can assume you're reusing the stock rockers, pushrods, and roller lifters (unlikely but I'm giving a big benefit of the doubt here).
I total $937. If you know a way to cut $300 out of this, let me know - I love to save money.
I agree. If you want to put in a cam with over .450 Lift (ie Comp Cams 412, 415, 422)
I looked at my spreadsheet of expenses. I am not doing a cam with over .450 lift so I didn't need these items *
*$450 Pushrods, Lifters, LS1 Beehives Springs, Retainers, & Timing Chain
*$350 Roller Rockers & Studs
*$250 Cam (I was going to spend more $ on E-rue Custom Cam)
$150 Vortec Heads
$75 Drill the heads for the intake pattern
$? Redrill the rocker studs for english bolt pattern
$250 Modifying the lower Intake
$225 Spare Lower Intake (I got a good deal)
$175 Gaskets
I also did new stock sized valves $145 and I am doing valve job as well. I did my own porting for port match the intake and I am going to port match the heads as well.
As you can see the valvetrain parts really add up quick.
Re: total cost of heads/cam
You forgot $100 for dill/tap to match stock intake bolt patern
TookyCat said:How did you do it for $600?
RPM charges $250 to machine the lower intake. A spare lower intake costs $350-$400 if you don't want to modify your original. RPM charges $250 to port the lower intake if you go that route. I think Waller does them for ~$200 if you don't need the welds "stock appearing".
I'll be ultra conservative and say $200 for the intake machining, no porting, and let's assume you sacrifice your original.
$100 would be a fantastic deal for used, assembled, re-usable vortec heads, but the stock valve springs can't handle anything over .450 lift or so because the valve guide is huge in width and height. All the popular Comp cams are .500" lift so you need to do machine work on the valve guides/seats. Here's a local machine shop: http://www.cs-performance.net/pricing/,
CUT FOR LARGER SPRINGS (Pair) $32.00 . A set of LS6 springs is around $150. After machining the valve seats now you need different valve stem seals, ~$15.
I've never seen Comp roller cams sell for cheaper than $250. Plus a timing set $40.
The necessary gaskets will run at least $150 by the time you include head gaskets and intake gaskets. I won't bother including pushrods or rockers, we can assume you're reusing the stock rockers, pushrods, and roller lifters (unlikely but I'm giving a big benefit of the doubt here).
I total $937. If you know a way to cut $300 out of this, let me know - I love to save money.
You forgot $100 for dill/tap to match stock intake bolt patern
Black Knight
I Glow Therefore I am
Re: total cost of heads/cam
I got the heads used from Doug here, I don't remember exact price but I think I got them less then $200 because shipping was sooo much. They came fully assembled with rockers, pushrods, and all. Had them sent straight to RPM and had them worked over here, then installed them. I already had the motor apart so I guess I didn't take into account the gaskets, so I'll adjust my price to $700-$750.
I did say IIRC, beacause my memory sucks :lol:
Yeah and I know I'll get shit for not changing the cam, but these seemed like a really good deal and figured I would run them for now just to have the benifit of the chamber design and better flow, but be able to use them as a good base for a bigger build later.
I got the heads used from Doug here, I don't remember exact price but I think I got them less then $200 because shipping was sooo much. They came fully assembled with rockers, pushrods, and all. Had them sent straight to RPM and had them worked over here, then installed them. I already had the motor apart so I guess I didn't take into account the gaskets, so I'll adjust my price to $700-$750.
I did say IIRC, beacause my memory sucks :lol:
Yeah and I know I'll get shit for not changing the cam, but these seemed like a really good deal and figured I would run them for now just to have the benifit of the chamber design and better flow, but be able to use them as a good base for a bigger build later.
Tooky
Serious about performance
Re: total cost of heads/cam
Good info in this thread! I rated it 5 star :lol:
Black Knight - Actually I am really interested to hear how Vortec heads perform with the stock cam!! Are you already running it? What kinda difference did you notice? It's a perfect "one variable" comparison.
Good info in this thread! I rated it 5 star :lol:
Black Knight - Actually I am really interested to hear how Vortec heads perform with the stock cam!! Are you already running it? What kinda difference did you notice? It's a perfect "one variable" comparison.
Black Knight
I Glow Therefore I am
Re: total cost of heads/cam
Nope trucks not ready yet, still waiting on the I/C to come back and then a few little things.
It's not gonna be a true comparison because I also had the T/B ported/polished and put headers on it. It should be close though, we're thinking my turbo is going to be the limiting factor, before the cam/heads are.
Nope trucks not ready yet, still waiting on the I/C to come back and then a few little things.
It's not gonna be a true comparison because I also had the T/B ported/polished and put headers on it. It should be close though, we're thinking my turbo is going to be the limiting factor, before the cam/heads are.
Tooky
Serious about performance
Re: total cost of heads/cam
Hey Mike, take a bite out of this!!
Complete DIY Vortec heads/cam upgrade Budget & Parts List
(I'm reposting this from a new thread I made in Engine Tech, just for the sake of completeness with this thread.)
(click to view ENTIRE budget)
Source: http://webpages.charter.net/tookycat/vortec_conversion_budget.htm
Download as Excel XLS: http://webpages.charter.net/tookycat/vortec_conversion_budget.xls
Basically $1,504.53 for all the necessary parts/gaskets shipped, including the cam and valvetrain. I also ended up buying over $600 of tools to do the job 100% D.I.Y. (except the machine work obviously.) This budget IMO, is the cheapest possible amount you could spend to do a complete Vortec heads/cam upgrade with quality parts.
Now you know exactly what it costs to do it from start to finish!
Hey Mike, take a bite out of this!!
Complete DIY Vortec heads/cam upgrade Budget & Parts List
(I'm reposting this from a new thread I made in Engine Tech, just for the sake of completeness with this thread.)
(click to view ENTIRE budget)
Source: http://webpages.charter.net/tookycat/vortec_conversion_budget.htm
Download as Excel XLS: http://webpages.charter.net/tookycat/vortec_conversion_budget.xls
Basically $1,504.53 for all the necessary parts/gaskets shipped, including the cam and valvetrain. I also ended up buying over $600 of tools to do the job 100% D.I.Y. (except the machine work obviously.) This budget IMO, is the cheapest possible amount you could spend to do a complete Vortec heads/cam upgrade with quality parts.
Now you know exactly what it costs to do it from start to finish!