Looks like I can get a heck of a deal on a new GM Perormance ZZ502 for $2500. 502 Requires intake, water pump, electric fuel pump, distributor, carb and headers. I was wondering, can any of my existing high performance parts off of a complete 454 work on this 502. I looked on the internet and it seems like everything is compatable except the gear drive on my MSD. Thanks in advance for your input.

Actually the gear drive works too if you are willing to bore and tap holes to use your old cover, as it is the new six bolt plastic cover that interferes with the gear drive. You will also have to go with a Mark IV cam and roller bearing cam stop as the Gen VI 502 has a snout on the cam with a retainer to prevent cam walk on the stock hydraulic cam. Everything but the heads will swap over from the Mark IV to the Gen VI (heads will bolt on but there will be an internal coolant leak because of the differences in the cooling passages.).

That is just about a steal, of deal. I would be cautious as I have discovered that when things are too good to be true something isn't true.


Larger Dave

I don't remember the intake ports on a ZZ502 but it is highly recommended that they match the ones on your current 454.

ZZ502 has Oval Ports. The aluminum heads are made by Edelbrock and are actually Recta-Oval but the stock oval port manifold can be gasket matched to the heads (the manifold provided with the deluxe ZZ502 is CNC matched to the heads). The 502 HO engine used cast iron rectangular port heads.


Larger Dave

You can buy a headgasket "water-hole washer insert" set that fit's into the headgasket holes or something like this to make the heads work on the 502.

Look into this at Scoggin Dickey Performance Center.

http://www.sdpc2000.com/

At least I think you can?

pdq67