Serpentine on sbc. TBI or vortec style

[Nitis]

I lucked into a complete serpentine setup for free off 88-95 style tbi.

Still considering what or how I'll buold buy an engine. If I use an L31 style engine can I use this serpentine setup? I know even the regular old style I can bolt this on but am missing one bolt hole in one head

Basically can tbi style and vortec style seeps be swapped back and forth

[cableguy0]

As long as you have everything from the set it will all work.

[Nitis]

Ok from what I gather though the old style heads are short one hole

Do the tbi and vortex style heads have the same pattern?

[cableguy0]

Originally Posted by Nitis

Ok from what I gather though the old style heads are short one hole

Do the tbi and vortex style heads have the same pattern?

That im not completely sure of. Being short one hole doesn't hurt anything either way. If you really wanted to you could drill and tap the missing hole.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by Nitis

Basically can tbi style and vortec style seeps be swapped back and forth

YES

Here are the bolt patterns. TBI same as Vortec, but on older heads with perimeter valve covers you need to drill/tap at least one hole on the passenger side. If you drill some "thin" casting heads, (ones I've seen but can't vouch for all of them), you will go through to the coolant passage but you can still epoxy a stud in there to hold the bracket and seal the leak you just created. One could limit how deep he tapped the hole to make a tight fit on the bolt and maybe use some Teflon paste, silicone, permatex, what have you but I'd expoxy a stud to be sure, and while I'm at it I will use grade 8 for longevity. "All-thread" would work too, maybe wrap some beer can metal around it if the hole is too sloppy in the bracket or an old metric to SAE alternator sleeve.

[jjzepplin]

I carefully drilled mine out real slow with a small bit first with a stop on it the n used a bigger bit and tapped it then used a stud from the original system and red loctite. Porbably would have been fine without it but why not. Done this twice now and both are fine.

[fstfwrd]

The TBI and Vortec blocks will all work. I installed a serpentine drive from a 93-ish pickup for installing on my 84 K5 Blazer. Only modification was drilling and tapping a hole in the face of the passenger side cylinder head.

So I would assume there is a good chance the modern serpentine brackets can be made to work for quite a few years back.

Brendan

[gmachinz]

You don't have to drill that RH boss for the serpentine bracket-you can but unnecessary. Make sure however that you use the factory braces-this will keep the bracket from flexing.

[ahsom79vette]

HEY NITIS,

Not to bomb your thread, but wanted you to know I've been trying to contact you to respond to your questions about my Longhorn for sale.

Anyway, just check your Private Messages. Or shoot me a call- numbers on the ad.

Didn't want you to think I was ignoring your questions.