Check out this thread and see what you think. I'm not buying the statements made there...
Not ot mention my post about the compression ratio at the bottom...
http://www.camaros.net/cgi-bin/forum...=006422#000004

 

wow, this forum moves fast

 

An iron head dosent dissapate heat as quick as an aluminum head, so all things being equal the iron head would make more power...................but all things are never equal. Aluminums are lighter, easier and cheaper to port, etc, etc. and than theres the detonation thingey. Same argument going on for past 40 years. Just my 2 cents. prorac1

 

I think you missed the point of the post. He is specifically asking about using vortec heads. The point about aluminum vs iron was mine.
Why would he want the vortec heads over porting his own heads?
And as I mentioned in that thread, he'll lose some compression ratio or experience spark knock unless he reduces it some..which will also take away, albeit marginally, some torque.
There has to be some serious benefit to the vortec design or he is just misinformed..

 

OK my bad. Cant use vortech heads on lt1. But just head versus head the vortech flows 235 on the intake and 170? on the exh. out of the box its vortech. but they dont respond well to porting, ive seen lt1 heads flow over 280 with porting so i guess since they arent interchangeable the point is mute. But i guess we havent anything better to do, do we, lol. prorac1

 

I know a standard vortec head won't interchange, but the guy in the thread says an impala/caprice lt1 head is a vortec head, thus has the reverse cooling provisions etc already in place...

 

That is NOT what was stated in the referenced post above. It stated, in essence, is the iron LT1 and vortec head have similar flow characteristics (from sim ilar port design).

The progression as I see it, is the LT1 iron is the original/pre LT4 head design. The LT1 iron incorporated port design 'improvements' that arrived too late for the alum LT1 heads. From the LT1 iron to the LT4 alum, to the vortec which is based off the LT4 head, but with conventional cooling system flow characteristics. Hoped this help clear the confusion.

 

Iron heads tend to offer better flow numbers but due to their weight and the fact that they don't get rid of heat quickly, they are not as good as our heads IMO.

 

The Impala Iron head LOOKS just like the Vortec head as far as chambers and ports. The LT4 ports look diff. It was my opinion that the Vortec and Impala head was the same ports and chamber just by looking and the flow #'s are the same. The LT4 has D-shaped exhaust ports, a chamber similar to the LT1 and the intake ports are diff as well such as bowl area, shortside and the complete runner. The LT4 has a bump where the stud is located in the port and the Vortecs/Impala heads just vave a hole there. The Iron heads are ABOUT 62cc and the LT1/LT4's are ABOUT 54cc.

NightTrain66

 

Perhaps you read it dofferently than I did? HEre is exactly what was posted:

 

i read it like arnie. timber wolf are you or just like to argue? Vortec port/chamber designs are based off iron lt1 heads. they would flow around the same. that's what he meant, i'm positive

 

whats your name i may know you. (if you dont mind saying)

 

I like to debate, but I am not being argumentative. Perhaps I don't know the linneage well enough of the heads, but when someone says "get impala lt1 heads and you will have vortec heads with the correct reverse cooling passages" then taken literally is how I made my assumption.

Is there a reason you're calling me argumentative? I just asked a question and now I am being accused of looking for an argument. WTH?

What arnie stated can me derived from the statement made in the post IF you know the linneage of the heads, if not you take it for what it's worth like I did.

 

Maybe the guy is wrong, a lottttttt of people on message boards are wrong. Look at any post on here about someone asking a question about a part or whats wrong with their car, theres about 50 different answers to the same question, which means someone is wrong, just because someone says something doesnt mean its correct.

From listening the the people that answered your question, I agree with them, since nightrain66 is a very reputable head porter and knows a whole lot about them, im guessing he is right that the LT1 iron was the building block for the vortec. in other words

1. LT1 Iron head
2. LT4 aluminum
3. Vortec

in order of evolution

 

Not sure if the Vortec is the chicken or the egg and I have no idea which one was created first. I was just stating thet the ports and chambers on a Vortec head look and flow just like the Impala head. As far as them being better than the aluminum LT1 heads....... I do not think so.

NightTrain66