Vortec 350 Build, am I doing it right?

[chiggins]

Originally Posted by Ironangel

Have those heads pressure checked for cracks, Vortec's are notorious for cracking heads...A junkyard indicator is if the motor had antifreeze instead of water in it when you crack it open...I agree with the HV oil pump not being necessary, especially with a stock roller valve train. I also agree with the head studs being overkill, bolts will be plenty good with cleaned threads and a high temp thread sealant applied to the threads and ARP Ultra-Torque lube under the bolt heads...

Before buying everything and diving into the build, I was going to do a DIY magnaflux or have a shop check them out. And I did read up on different pump characteristics, and for my clearances and use I'll stick with a standard pump, with maybe a slightly higher pressure spring like in the Camaros I believe.