You may have been curious to know about Vortec heads Vs TBI heads and the difference between the two.
In a nutshell, though, there is not a whole lot of difference between a Vortec and a TBI head. But each has its unique benefits and features that make them worth investing in. Let us look at what these two have to offer that you may not have known before.
Let’s get started.
Vortec Heads Vs TBI Heads
Both the Vortec heads and TBI heads offer improvement in the way your vehicle performs. Let’s find out more about what each of these two has to offer and what works for you best.
Vortec Heads
Newer versions of Vortec heads come with less material and cleaner castings. They are most certainly better and more improved than the previous ones. With many people wanting power in their vehicle’s performance, Vortec heads take the lead when it comes to GM-type casting heads.
The only drawback, however, particularly in carbureted 350 types of heads, is that the cast were not made in the United States. This is why overheating can be an issue, so a new cooling system would also come in handy.
Moreover, Vortec heads come with a sawtooth pattern located on the ends. The bowl area is also wider than older cast iron heads by GM, and there is a three-angle grind for the valve seats, intake, and exhaust valves.
The combustion chamber features a heart-shaped style while Gen I models of cast heads had a closed or open chamber design.
Stock Vortec heads typically have about 480 horsepower and are naturally aspirated. As for a double-hump cast head, it can only generate between 25 and 40 horsepower less. The output depends on the size of the valve.
The maximum valve lift that you can expect from a Vortec cylinder head can vary from .460-inch up to about .480-inch. Because of casting variance and production line machining, this range exists. But it is highly recommended that you check for clearance when there is more than a .460-inch lift.
When it comes to Vortec heads, you need to use a Vortec style of 8-bolt intake. It is also important to remember that these heads cannot be modified to use with older 12-bolt intakes due to a lack of section thickness. Thus, proper bolt retention may not be achieved at the center bolts.
So that’s all for the Vortec heads. Now, let’s move on to TBI.
TBI Heads
Throttle Body Injection or TBI is a fuel injection system used in many General Motors vehicles. It injects fuel into your engine and opens the air intake manifold. There is a butterfly valve on the throttle body and this controls the amount of air flow into your engine.
While TBI heads are not as powerful as a carburetor, the TBI has a design that enables fast acceleration and efficient throttle response. This is why TBIs are economical options for vehicles with either intermittent use or very high mileage.
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Comparison Between TBI and Vortec heads
Vortec engines are derived from the Throttle Body Fuel Injection or TBI. The main difference between the two is that the TBI has injectors in the front portion of the throttle plate while the Vortec has injectors behind.
Moreover, TBI is primarily a speed density system. But Vortec heads have a mass airflow system that manages the fuel-injection system.
Although the change in the fuel injection system offers an improvement, there are still some issues to consider. For instance, the engine is capable of pulling more air since the injectors are out of the air stream. However, the injectors are unable to distribute or supply fuel in an efficient manner as a true direction port injection can do.
Vortec comes with two injectors that spray fuel right into a distribution block. There are 8 plastic hoses connected to it and carry fuel to the end portion of the intake runner. There is also a pop-it valve or a spring-loaded type of check valve at the end of the hose. These open whenever the injectors add pressure to the hoses and fuel block.
Wrapping Up
Overall, the TBI and Vortec heads offer better performance to the engine. There are some limitations that come with each, but the most important thing is to make sure you use components that are compatible with these heads to ensure optimum performance you want.