Jannebill

Hey Fellas,

So I found a 350 Vortec Block, I also found a 350 standard block and I am looking to use one of these. The 350 Vortec already has everything on it, I would just have to do some serious cleaning, redo the heads and get a better cam probably, but the 350 block, just the block. I would have to get everything. I am hearing both sides, Vortec will give more power but it would also be best to go with a standard 350 block and build up.. I don't have a lot of money to do this at all.. But want to be able to keep up with my friends... Please let me know your opinion. Thanks

2blu442

Welcome to the site! The simplest way to get more power would be to swap in a 455. But there's a lot of guys who've built small blocks and been very happy with them. I'd suggest you try to network with other Oldsmobile people and find out if they have a source for a good used engine. I know there's some other members of this board in your part of the country. John

70 cutlass s

The Vortec 350 is a Chevy engine. When you say standard 350 is it an Olds or Chevy engine.

Does your car have an engine now or are you just looking to build a engine to swap in.
What are your plans for the car. I like John's idea with swapping in a 455.

442scotty

On one of my 65's a few years ago I swapped in a 305 chev with 700r4 after my 330 gave it up..It was my only choice at the time...

great engine but I run 455/400 in my current 65's...If its a tight budget driver who cares...but I prefer to keep Olds all Olds.

bammax

If by standard 350 you mean a gen1 chevy 350 then the blocks themselves are pretty much the same. The later gen1 has centerbolt valve covers, self aligning rockers, and a 1 piece rear seal while the earlier ones have perimeter bolt covers, non-aligning rockers, and a 2 piece rear seal. The vortec part of the engine is the heads and not the block. And vortec heads fit on the old blocks just fine as long as you use an intake designed for vortec heads.

Confused yet

olds425

The vortec also would be a factory roller cam block.

bammax

And if it's a late enough year it'll use the gen3 (ls) style mounts and accessories

64Rocket

NO chebby engine on this forum. If you want a chebby engine buy a chebby body.
Gene

Jannebill

lmao at 64Rocket... and BAMMAX, not to confused, I really think I am starting to get stuff.. slowly.. They are both 350 blocks, one is out of a 99 Caddy, I heard the heads off the vortec are good. I know, I should keep the motor olds, however, I am on a pretty tight budget, I will keep the olds and rebuild that one at a later date. My 72 cutty is all stock. Ok, so excuse me for this being so long but I am trying to acheive a goal here, my goal is to keep up with the fellas, I don't want to much power, enough for the car to sound and act like its got something pretty nice under the hood. If someone pulls up next to me, I would like to be intrested in a Race, HOWEVER that is not why I am doing this. I just want to have power. My plan was to swap over to a 350 chevy block, add a cam, heads, intake, just some minor upgrades, I will need to change my tranny and redo my rear end gears and add posi to it. I am really trying to keep this at three thousand dollars, but may have to bump that figure up to four. If I go with the Vortec I have some of the items there that will just need to be cleaned or rebuilt, the other 350 chevy block has nothing. I pretty much have made my decision by going with the Vortec, I just need to know certain things, like the best cam, and intake to get some decent or max power for my car and that engine at an affordable price and what gears, not 373, maybe 350.. see I am still a little confused about what goes with what and what would be best. Again, sorry for the length.

bammax

The only Caddy to run a Vortec is the Escalade. If it's from a Caddy that isn't an Escalade then it's actualy a Northstar engine.

Now if this engine is from a 99 Escalade then don't change anything about it. It's called the lq9 and is a high compression 6.0 litre engine which is already a very stout motor. It was designed to outpower the standard truck 6.0 even with all the extra weight of the Caddy options. That engine in stock form will launch your Cutty past most idiots that you would come across.

On a side note it's paired to a 4l80e trans which is an electronically controlled overdrive version of the old th400. If you keep it fuel injected then get a good 4l80e to go with it from a 99 truck and then wire in the pcm and have fun. If you want an easy swap then get a vortec carb manifold and bolt it to a regular old th400 and have fun

joe_padavano

If you're trying to do this on a budget, sell the Chevy motor and use the money to fix the Olds. Right now you will need all new motor and frame mounts, new exhaust, and unless you plan on swapping to a standalone EFI computer, a new intake and carb, new distributor, etc. All the accessory brackets are different and if you are using the brackets from the 99 then all the accessories are different too. The underhood wiring changes even if you are using a carb. This is NOT a simple bolt-in swap.

Jannebill

BAMMAX-IT IS OUT OF A 99 ESCALADE.... IS IT REALLY NOT GOING TO BE THAT SIMPLE TO DO THIS. I am not looking for this to be super easy, i just wanted a chevy. You don't think 4 thousand would be enough?

bammax

There ya go. I know folks that've swapped chevies for vortecs and they spent thousands on mounts, headers, accessories, brackets, wiring, and random crap. I wouldn't swap from an old school Olds to a vortec if on a budget. You need to upgrade everything right down to the battery which needs alot of amps just to keep up. Plus the lq9 needs premium gas due to it's compression ratio so it's not even cheaper to run. Higher grade gas vs better fuel economy tends to balance out.

I'd say plan 5-7k to do the swap right.

jensenracing77

4K would be more than it would take to put the Olds engine in it. i have less than $1600 in my 350 and it runs very well. even with stock intake and exhaust manifolds. with 4K you could have an incredible engine.

Jannebill

well if 5-7k is what I am going to need, then that is what I will have to do.. I want that engine in my olds.. I am determined

joe_padavano

So, apparently your definition of "tight budget" is the same as Bill Gates'...

And I assume this was just for our benefit so we wouldn't completely flame you:

Jannebill

I am on a tight budget, very tight!!! But this is what I want to do, so either way I would have to make it work that way I have plenty of time to rebuild the olds engine... and yes, I will be rebuilding it stock with a little power.. That will be my motor when I get maybe 80..90..or even 100... Thanks Guys for your help!! I am so excited to see what kind of power this engine will pull. Question: Can I use the tranny I have in there now? 350?

joe_padavano

Nope. At a minimum you need an adapter plate. Chebby motors use a different bellhousing bolt pattern. Yet another item to add to the budget...

Jannebill

Joe, I was told my options are a 700r4 or Turbo 350. What do you think.. If I run one of these Trannys, what rear end gears would you run? Thanks a million!

bammax

Wrong twice. the 700 will explode behind that engine. The th350 probably will too. You need a 4l80e with the wiring sorted out so that it works for your application, or a th400 with the chevy bolt pattern. That's the trans that was bolted to big blocks back in the day. Even though the lq9 is a small block it makes the same power as the old big blocks so the trans and rear-end need to be built to big block specs.

If you want to run a 700r4/4l60/4l60e then expect to replace it every couple years with a brand new one. I've blown up one in a 4.3 v6 truck and one in a 4.3 v8 car. No way to get it to survive behind that motor. If you decide to run a 2004r then expect to spend around 1.5-2.5k on one built to 500 ft-lbs specs.

No more help for you, you chevy lover

Go ask more questions at http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/index.php since they'll have the info you need

olds 307 and 403

Build the LS motor, since you seem to think the Olds is a turd. Everyone and their dog has a sbc under everything. I sure hope the LS performs better than I have seen. A 5.3 is not impressive in a heavy Avalanche. This is the older 295 hp version. My 9 to 1 307 headed 350 Olds TBI in my 94 4x4 will easily match it. Same gearing and tire size. 204/214 cam, Sandersons and 2.25" dual exhaust. Stock single air cleaner with poor man's power charger and K&N style filter. My rings are sticking from sitting too. The 125,000 stock 76 bottom end had better oil pressure than the Avalanche too.

Oldsguy

I sense a troll in the woods...............

Warhead

If you want good advice on this engine swap, you need to go to the LS forums listed above. Obviously, you already have your mind set, why would you want advice from people who know nothing of this swap?

The vast majority here, have little practical advice for you, let alone experience.

I take this thread as a flatulent waste-aroma therapy session, for the initiator.

Read some of the other threads, and how most will react to this kind of butchery, unless you already have (as I suspect).
If you want approval here, there is only like 2-3 members that regularly post that would give it. Contact them.

joe_padavano

OK, now you made soda come out my nose...