TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Well it finally happened. My son blew the tranny and the motor at the same time in his 87 GTA !!

I had the tranny rebuilt and now it's time for the engine. I would like to replace the 305 with a 350.

Any cam recommendations from you guys that have already made the change ?

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Is the block a roller ? Are you staying with tpi ?

gearhead141

How many miles were on the engine? I ask because normally the 305 is a pretty stout engine and many here have had over 200k miles on them. What failed on it? If the lad destroyed that drive train, is putting something bigger in a good idea?

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

The 305 is a roller cam motor and yes, I'd like to stay TPI. Although it may be cheaper to go carborated...

The 305 had over 200K on it.
While he was on the highway the tranny died thus causing the motor to over rev. It knocking and I'm pretty sure it spun a rod bearing.
And yes I'm pretty sure he'll be good with a 350 vs the 305.

luvofjah

iTrader: (2)

My 305 has 155k miles and still runs great...
When it dies, rebuild and BBS Turbo! :-)

abray1

After I got my 350 Iroc I added headers, a ZZ4 cam and true roller timing chain, Hypertech Chip, Lucas disc type injectors and 170 stat. I also hooked the fans up to a toggle so I could turn them on when I wanted to. That car would beat LT-1 cars. That was way way back but that car would fly and it had 277 gears and got great gas mileage. It was the perfect daily driver since I was in college at the time and driving a lot. If they would have had Holley Stealth Rams back then I would have been able to wind the car past 4500 making it an even more complete car.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Nope, nope, nope.... not spending that kind of money on HIS car. I just want to get it back on the road. HE can do anything he wants to it after graduates from college and is making his OWN money !!

Thanks for the suggestions but I'm not doing that.

ZZ4 cam sounds like something I need to look into.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Anyone have any suggestions on good 350 heads ?

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

It depends on your budget, staying tpi will be easy, have the memcal reprogramed and get a set of 22#hr injectors? But it really depends on how built the engine is going to be.
http://www.southbayfuelinjectors.com...e-350-5-7-tpi/

Tinbender59

one of the reasons That I like the TPI system is it is so versital, get any SBC (except Vortec), have TUNED PERFORMANCE reprogram your chip for that motor, maybe get larger injectors if it is a 350, slap the TPI, and accessories on it, drop it in and go. of corse it isn't all that easy. but not to far away from it. don't make it harder than it has to be, I have even put TPI on an LT1 in my 1997 pickup.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Well after reading above I will be going with a ZZ4 roller cam and it will be a 350 so I appreciate the recommendation on the 22# injectors. I will be buying those for sure.

So quote me a price for a reprogram.
And do I have to send you my computer or do you do a swap out ?

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

waiting on an answer from tuned.......

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Sorry, I didn't get the notification on this thread. To get you up and going I charge $65 , to refine the tune off datalogging that is emailed to me I charge $40 per tune. it really depends oh how modified the engine is how much tuning is need . I'm reasonable , if you don't see progress you don't pay

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

I need some heads recommendations...

tylercamaro

iTrader: (1)

vortecs, i had a 305 with 350 tbi heads port and gasket matched and the swirls taken out and such that had a good deal of low end torque that i used with tpi. as for earlier heads i dont know if the old camel humps or whatever they are cllaed would be ideal for tpi. i know theres some good heads out there but ill shut up and let someone better with tpi respond.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

But if I go Vortec's, I'll need a new TPI base intake....

tylercamaro

iTrader: (1)

mmm this is true.

abray1

I would look at some 113 vette TPI aluminum heads. I would have them ported a little. Back then they were enginered to go with TPI and the ZZ4 cam was the cam TPI needed but GM couldn't use it in new vehicles. The LT-4 hot cam might be a little better but the ZZ4 bearly has lope at stock idle and up to 5500RPM it does its job but TPI only goes to 4600RPM. The 113 heads are very affordable and have 58cc chambers to give a little more compression. They have all the bolt holes for TPI parts and if you get lucky you can get them with the good vette valve covers. They make sense for a close to stock, daily driver good gas mileage performer. Go ahead and get the vette starter while your at it (88-91). It is much lighter and a much better design than the old stock cast iron starter and puts out more power.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info. I'll look into the heads. As for it being a daily driver... it will be but I'm still going to look into the ZZ4 cam for the car. As my wife always says.... "You can't leave anything stock".

abray1

If you are rebuilding the trans you might want to look into a 13 vane pump, .500 boost valve, vette accumulator or better, 5 pinion planetary front and back, beast sunshell, raybestos (blue) Clutches, external trans cooler and filter. Stock size aluminum finned pan with drain. For every 10 degrees you drop your trans fluid you add ten thousand miles to the life of your trans. Synthetic fluid helps a ton also. You can add a trans temp gauge to the external filter housing by drilling a hole for the sending unit and putting the gauge in a pillar pod gauge mount and add a fan to the external trans cooler hooked to a toggle to turn it on.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Zz4 cam , 30#hr injector and a 2200 stall all play well together

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

For what it would take to buy 113 heads and have them ported, I doubt you'd spend less than this: https://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-...er/sd8060ratpi

And that's a better base than the stock base.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

LMAO !!!!!!!
No way in hell I'm spending $1800 bucks on a set of heads for this car.

Tinbender59

Vortec heads??? run for your life!!! Vortecs are great as new castings, but every one that I have seen with ANY work done to them have either warped or cracked. I even have a Burb that belongs to a friend of mine, with a rebuilt Vortec with 11k and real bad issue. havent torn it down yet but water in the exhaust at least 2 dead misses, and large bubbles in the radiator. nope 40 HP aint worth the headakes just my 2 cents

Tinbender59

and I quote "13 vane pump will gain you nothing unless you modify the pump housing to work with the 13 vane pump".

Tinbender59

just pick up an early alum headed LT1 93 - 95 $500 to $800 depending on miles, and use your TPI (complete system, larger injectors, with reprogramed Prom and rock the streets, you are making this way to complicated. it isnt going to the Moon or Mars.
I'm not tryin to be an a$$ here, I just don't see the benifit of wasting money and time for Braggin rights, that someone will blow away any how.. make it fun and have fun doing it??? heck throw a LT4 hot cam in it and really kill the rice burners LOL

I know I sound opinionated but I have wasted to much money and time over the years, and don't like to see it. at least I aint spending your money :-)

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Now we're talking and getting somewhere !!
I've been looking on fleabay at those exact heads.

BIG question is...... will these heads work with my 87 TPI intake base ?

Tinbender59

ok the long answer, yes the heads will work on a non reverse flow block, with some extensive mods, and yes they will work with the TPI, you will have to plug the 6 inner manifold bolt holes. (only the outer ones are in the right places) then re drill for the TPI manifold. I just mod'ed the manifold - I recommend that you don't do it that way - messy looking. I would use a brass bolt with loc-tite for a plug, cut it as close as possible then use a file to clean it up. use the gasket to mark it, then re-drill and thread them, your done!!!

now I don't think you understood what I was saying, the LT1 has reverse flow water system,- as in cools the heads first then the block. with alum heads allows for 10.5:1 compression on pump gas. ( hence the biggest reason for going LT1) yes the iron heads flow better, but they do not produce the compression gains. I used a 1996 LT1 take out with 7K as my base then put the TPI on it with a 2002 LS1 ECM running the whole shabang it does real well considering it is lean and needs to go back to the dyno after I install 36lb injectors.

what I "would recommend" for your application is a good LT! "complete take out" put your TPI and distributor on it, use your TPI ECU and wiring, maybe an LT4 hot cam?? It will look almost factory. no wire chopping or jacking around, pretty much plug and play a set of 3rd Gen shorty headers and roll on. yes the headers wont match perfectly, but unless you are under the 12 second quarter mark you will never know it

PM me your phone number and I can explain it further if you wish. this is dang near a direct replacement for the ol 305 way way easy as far as upgrades go. Tinbender

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Okay hold the phone here..... I know the heads are "reverse flow as I used to own a 96 Vette with an LT1. Which is why I was kind of curious as to how this was going to pan out... Sorry but I'm not redrilling heads, wollowing out hole on the TPI intake.

I'll just go with some OEM cast iron 350 TPI heads, 2.02 valves and a nice little cam.

Thanks for all the help.

Tinbender59

cool it is your toy!! and your Money! that will be way cool as well if you have a roller block use the LT4 hot cam it will get it on down low.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Yes it's an 88 model roller block. So it'll either be the ZZ4 cam or the LT4 hot cam..... Hmmmmm....

tylercamaro

iTrader: (1)

ive had mine on my car for a year or so no issues yet and they are worked good.
ive seen your truck on gmt400 or fsc or something havent i?

tylercamaro

iTrader: (1)

you could look into some promax heads

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I guess I'm not seeing the part where you have a 350 block.

And I thought the LT1 talk was a long block using the TPI induction/control setup. Did I miss something there?

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

I have an 88 year model 350 short block. As soon as the pistons come in, it's going to the machine shop.
The LT1 talk was about the heads.....

Tinbender59

Ya I know I have seen a lot of them survive, but I aint had no luck with used castings, maybe I'm jinxed lol and yes you have seen it there and half a dozen other site's. lol I was kind of pumped when Lextech and I got it running corectly.

Tinbender59

and I was trying to talk him into building a setup like mine!

abray1

You can get a set of the 113 vette heads used for about $300.00 and then get better than stock valves, springs etc. The heads will flow what a TPI unit will give. They are not high flowing but make more torque than about anything else. Most of the time a stock daily driven type car is in the 1200-2800RPM range about 97% of the time. If you get the tpi ported then the heads can be ported to match them. The guys who port the TPI units can probably do the heads also or know someone who can. The heads usually benefit from shaping the bowl and widening the area where the pushrod goes through the side of the port making the narrow spot. On a daily driver I wouldn't purchase brand new heads since the cost would be more like a full race engine instead of a daily driver type engine. A TPI unit and 113 heads have more of a regular stock cast iron price than a Brodix or AFR priced parts.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Are these the heads you're talking about ??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1993-1997-LT1-aluminum-cylinder-heads-Caprice-Camaro-Corvette-Firebird-Firehawk-/111261543156?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19e7b46af4&vxp=mtr

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Your going to be looking at a lot of expense to get the cooling system to work putting lt1 heads on a gen 1 sbc.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

yeah I figured that....

So are the 113 heads, LT1 heads ??

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Just ordered some .030 over pistons. Next weekend the entire short block goes to the machine shop.
Hopefully picking up some heads this weekend as well.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

The 113s are not lt1 heads, they are aluminum and used in 87-91 corvettes and zz4 engines. they flow pretty decent best bang for the buck for a lighter weight head . It really depends on your over all goal with your engine and your budget.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

Well heck.... just found out the motor in the GTA is actually a 350 !! It's a GOOD DAY !!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Good. Rebuild it, and forget this thread ever existed.

Tinbender59

Amen to that

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

LOL !!

I found another 350 short block to rebuild. Lets see where this goes....

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Lt1 heads on a Gen I are basically Vortec heads. That's the lineage. Vortec heads are actually a little BETTER than LT1 heads...

That said... earlier in the thread you said you didnt want to spend a bunch of money on his car. Just find someone swapping a 305 to a 350 and get their 305. I gave mine away. TPI 305's are literally a dime a dozen and no one wants them. They dont make enough power to hurt themselves either. Just buy a used one and carry on.

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

I also posted a few lines up that the GTA actually has a 350. I've already purchased a rebuildable 350 short block and I should have new .030 pistons and rings this week.

abray1

No, not LT-1 stuff since I think it is not compatable with regular SBC parts. The 113 heads come on the new ZZ4 crate engines and I think the 87 or 88-91 Vette TPI engine. They made a 128 casting before the 113 but the 128 was not that good of a head. The 113 head is not prone to cracking like the vortec and the 113 head will bolt up to regular sbc parts.