I have a 1999 vortec motor out of a chevy tahoe.
I noticed the fuel pump push rod area is wide open with
no cover, or fuel pump block off plate. The hole is there
for a push rod, but it looks smaller then the older style
pushrod. Smaller in ID. I put a screwdriver up the hole
and it seem sto have a plug of some sort.

Here's my Question..
Can these blocks be made
to use a fuel pump without
taking it to a machine shop??
Is this just a plug inside the hole??
Is the hole not finished from the factory
with machining?? Thanks everyone. :confused:

I really want to use this motor because its a Vortec
with a factory roller cam. I really don't want to use
a electric fuel pump. :(

From what've I've heard, you should be able to run a mechanical pump.

I think it needs to be machined out, even if it is just a plug, but I don't know that for sure.

WHat I DO know for sure is the cam won't have a fuel pump eccentric lobe on it even if it could be done easily by just removing a plug.

Sometime around 1990 they stopped putting fuel pump eccentrics on roller cams for EFI motors.

goodson used to make the drilling jig kit back in the 90's that had the correct angle for the pump rod,, but you had to finish size it with a reamer. it bolted to the existing bolt flange holes on the blocks that had the bolt holes,, but no pushrod hole.

so,, if yours doesn't have the correct hole locations already drilled and tapped for the cover plate,, it's a little more difficult to get everything centered to put the rod in the correct location over the cam lobe. like damon said,, the roller cam may not have the fuel pump lobe as well. i'd do an electric pump of some sort. much safer than hoping you get it centered with that block that has no plate cover holes drilled/tapped already.

Sorry, I forgot to mention if you were able to run a mechanical pump you would probably need to machine it out.

A machine shop should be able to do it for you, although Damon's reply about the cam having a fuel pump eccentric lobe raises another question (that I can't answer).

IMHO,

I would think it would be easier to just use an electric fuel pump with a regulator. That way you could also wire in a kill switch for security as well.

Unless you take it all apart and take it to a machine shop or if you could get the Goodson jig, I would hesitate to drill through the cast iron myself without knowing the proper angle. You could run the risk of wiping out the fuel pump cam lobe.

Reading through the replies, it looks like you are out of luck; unless you change the cam you need to use an electric pump.
I do want to make sure ('cuz I don't remember the availabilities), you say it is a "Vortec" motor: Does it have evenly spaced exhaust ports, or does it have the two center ports right next to each other? Is the oil pan aluminum or steel? Does it have eight coils, each with a short wire to the spark plug, or does it have a distributor?
If the answers are the first choices it is an LS series motor and will require some extra work to install. If it's the second set, then it is still a standard small block. Option two is a lot simpler.