defaced

iTrader: (6)

Alright, just so everyone will know off hand, I'll tell the story.

My wife and I got an 87 Formula from her parents, free. Problem with it was it was knocking. The placard underneath the hood said 5.7L and the VIN matched with a 350. Pulled the motor out, checked the block, it's a 305. Found out it spun two rod bearings. It's a TPI motor, not carb. Not sure what year the motor is though.

Now, my question. There's a guy at my work that said he'd sell me a 350 2 bolt main block and heads. This motor also spun a rod bearing. He's still got the pistons and everything else. He's selling me all that plus an engine stand for $50 just because he wants to get it out of his garage. I asked him tonight what it came out of, and he said it came from a full size van. My question is, will this block work in my Bird? I plan on having it completely rebuilt. Now I figure that I can reuse my oil pan and probably use my 305 heads so I know for sure that my intake manifold will still work.

Now, does any of this sound like a problem? What other problems am I going to be facing in going with a block that came out of a van and not a car? Will the motor mount brackets be the same?

Oh and he's not sure what year the motor is.

mario82z28

If it was me I'd look for a 4 bolt main it'll hold up alot better and depending on what year the 350 is the pan may not work you need to check if it is a driver side or passenger side dip stick yours will be a passenger side i think if the block is 86 or newer you shouldn't run into that

89RsPower!

for 50 bucks you can't complain, for the most part a chevy small block is a chevy small block. Only mentionable differences are roller cam's vs flat tappet, one pieces vs 2 pieces rms (which require differennt pans, balancers, and have diff dipstick locations, etc.) and main cap configuration. A 2-bolt block is fine unless you are making serious power, in that case a 2 bolt block with splayed main caps is ideal. As far as a four bolt block holding up better ignore that, the number of bolts in the main caps will not effect durability.

defaced

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, that's why I'm going with the 2 bolt. And for $50 for all that **** and then about $1600 to have it rebuilt, I really have nothing to complain about.

So you're saying that the pan from my 305 should fit on this 350? I'll also be having a roller cam installed.

Is it better to go with 305 heads or 350 heads? The responses that I've gotten from people at work and stuff and been mixed. The machine shop suggested using the 305 heads so I could have higher compression.

What about the starter and all that other stuff? Like water pump, alternator, power steering? Will all that stuff be ok?

mario82z28

the 305 heads will give you more compression it has smaller exhust cambers but if the heads off the 350 are center bolt heads I'd go with those they flow alot nicer all the accesories should be fine unless you put headers on the car then you'll need to get the adapoter for the power steering bracket

defaced

iTrader: (6)

I will be putting headers on, so where can I get this bracket?

And just to clarify, the motor mount brackets should be the same too right?

mario82z28

motor mounts will be fine and i kinda had to rig up my own bracket you can just use a longer bolt with a spacer on the front driver side header bolt

89RsPower!

the pan may or may not fit, it depends if the 305 you currently have is a 1 or 2 peice block and if this 350 is a 1 or 2 peice block. All accessories will swap from your 305 to your 350. The roller cam may be a problem, if the block isnt setup for a factory roller cam you will have to use an aftermarket roller setup. The heads really depend on what heads you have to work with, what are the casting numbers off the 305 heads and what are the numbers off the 350 heads? The mounts will bolt up just fine. If you are running headers the dipstick isnt much of an issue. If you are sticking with factory manifolds you may have an issue with dipstick location.

DirtyCanadian

years ago i put a 350 from a van im my 83 trans am it fit the exact same only thing different is its harmonic balancer was smaller than the original

Andy316

There will be no probleme that the engine came from a van. The engine mounts will be the same so no problemes there. Like they said though, the oil pan could be diffrent. If your taking out a roller motor (Im making the assumption that it is based on your year and that means your cam shaft has lifters with roller wheels on them that ride and follow the cam) and putting in a flat tappet (the lifters are more flat (convex by .002) and ride the cam) then you will have to change your flywheele also. Only reason I say that is because most blocks 87+ are roller 1 piece RMS (rear main seal) and 86 and earlier have 2 piece RMS. If the heads that are on the new 350 are center bolt then they have come from an 87+ engine and those should work with your TPI system. If not then you can reuse your 305 (they will increase compression but lower performance unless you port them so your new 350 can breath). One other thing to consider and then I will stop rambling, hopefully someone else can jump in on this also. Im pretty sure that you will have to upgrade you injectors if infact it is a 305TPI, along with having a new chip burned. Hope that helps some.

89RsPower!

Andy brings up a good point, what type of induction are you running? If this was origionally a 350 car it will be interesting to find out if they swapped in a complete 305 setup or just swapped in a 305 and bolted the 350 stuff to it, if its tpi the only differences are the injector size and the prom. The 19lb injectors will work fairly decent with the fuel pressure bumped up a bit from what i've been told..

85gulstrandTA

$50 bucks.....if it is too good to be true...then...
I would use mega caution when getting a motor with spun bearings. The block bearing saddles (crank and or rods too) may get so hot they discolor the metal. I know guys that have rebuilt the same motor over and over and they spin the same bearing or bearings the first time they put thier foot in it. Which is what spins bearing to begin with. Road and circle track racers are hard on engines, drag racers parts will have more life in them. Take the parts to a machine shop and ask if they will warranty the work. That way you only lose $50 at the most.

defaced

iTrader: (6)

Yes, they warranty their work with 3 years, 36k miles