white1991rs

I have a nice cold air intake and exhaust w/ headers but I was wondering what else you can do to a 305 TBI that isn't a waste of money cuz I know I'm getting a crate motor eventually. Any tips, ideas, parts, etc.. that you know of? What I've done to the car is in the signature.

Dakota W.

If it were my car, I'd put a t56 in.

subroc

iTrader: (2)

Agreed. At least with the trans it wont be like wasted money since you plan on building a motor for it. The t56 will be a lot more fun to drive with than the auto. Pricy but worth it in a fun car IMO.

Cosmik Debris

I just did intake, headers, exhaust, as you did, rebuilt my transmission. Stick with stuff that will transfer to the crate motor and you won't lose. It made my 305 run pretty well. Mid 14s at 97 odd.

DeltaElite121

put a GOOD auto in and it's the same amount of fun, just different. The extra OD is nice with the 6 speed, though..

Ron U.S.M.C.

This was worth doing to my 5.0

This is a break down of my build. Some of these parts are necessary for the build and some can be changed to match your personal preference as in brand and style L.S.D./Locker.,etc.

1. 3.42 ring and pinion =$ 200.00
2. master bearing kit = $ 90.00
3. axle bearings and seals = $ 30.00
4. 28 spline Eaton posi. Unit = $ 500.00 ( highly recommended )
5. 28 spline axles = $250.00
6. installation/labor = $ 300.00
7. and if you want ,a LPW Ultimate support cover = $ 160.00 ( also highly recommended )
8. Thats $1,530.00 counting the cover.
9. 3 year warranty on parts and labor

Ron U.S.M.C.

Also with the 3.42 ratio and Eaton posi. I installed a simple "Corvette servo" and I get nice firm shifts. Hit WOT from the line and it spins them for a second then hooks and barks the tires nice and loud from 1st to second and chirps them from 2nd to third pushing me back into the seat locking the shoulder strap.

I can be cruising in second and hit WOT and it will drop down into 1st pushing hard then shift nice and hard with a loud bark from the tires then chirp them from 2nd to 3rd no problem. This is with a 5.0. and basically a stock 700r4. Or I can just take it easy and cruse nice and still be able to"feel" and "hear" the Trans shift either up or down. You can do it your self and
here's how its done. It will cost you around $ 25.00. =
http://sethirdgen.org/servo.htm

I'm not ashamed to drive my 5.0

white1991rs

Thanks for the suggestions guys any others would be appreciated if they come to mind, Ron good ideas also, when you say a basically stock 700r4 what do you mean?

Ron U.S.M.C.

A Corvette servo. That's it. I do not like the idea of anyone touching my perfectly good transmission so I decided against doing the complete shift kit and just installed the Corvette servo. myself. It made such a positive change in the way the car shifted that that's all I need. Not over kill but still a nice firm shift. The more throttle the harder the shift.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

My LG4 85 IROC was a 155 hp dog when I first bought it. Eventually, I made it the equivalent of the L69 (cam, intake, dual snorkel, carb tweaks, full L69 exhaust with high flow converter and so on). Bottom line, more fun, at perhaps 200 hp. But later I swapped in a GM crate, a 350 with 330 hp. I realized after the first drive that while I had learned a ton modifying the LG4, I had wasted time and money by not going directly to the crate.

Best of luck with your project,

JamesC

khulsebus

iTrader: (2)

The real trick is when you asked basically what can you recycle onto your future motor. An intake manifold if you don't mind using an adapter (like if you plan on running a carb in the future, but are currently using the TBI). Maybe an underdrive pulley kit, or ignition parts.

Parrydise7

iTrader: (1)

That is pretty much what I did, although I went from a carb'd 305 a/t to a fi 350 with a t5. Just bought a t56 because the t5 sounds like it is on its last legs.

Not a cheap swap and not a job for amateurs but it more than doubled the horsepower.

The easiest and cheapest way to go would be to sell yours and buy exactly what you want, but I am sure that comment will get me flamed.

AutoRoc

iTrader: (1)

Nitrous was the best thing ever... 15.70's on motor... 12.80's on a 150 shot... This was a TPI 305 however.. That I swapped a carb onto... The carb/intake ran the same ET as the TPI setup oddly enough..


Don't bother is my advice. Polishing a boat anchor.....why? Pepping up a 170hp engine to have 200 or 250 is dissapoonting unless it can be done free or close to it.. GM put a tiny little cam in these engines.. Save up, buy a 350 with nice heads/cam and then decide if you want to go carb or EFI.. These cars RULE when you put power in them... My current 6 banger is creeping well past 500hp and I never think of going modern with a 4th or 5th gen..

watajob

iTrader: (29)

Your comprehensive insurance just before you toss a lit railroad flare into the back seat.

zenish

swapping in a 3.42 from a six cylinder car made my 305 feel much faster.

Ron U.S.M.C.

The nice thing about the upgrades I’ve done to my car is they can be directly swapped over to a 350. And that's what I will do when the time comes. I drive my car as a DD and really have no thoughts on taking it to the track so it’s more than enough for a round town. I have a friend that has a 400hp new Charger and I asked him if he has really used any of it and his answer was "Where am I going to do that". It’s also his around town DD. I’m not saying that having a 400hp or higher car is useless around town and I’m sure there are benefits but other than the track I can’t think of any.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I would avoid spending large amonts of money on a ten bolt because, at the end of the day, it is still a ten bolt. You can purchase fabbed 9" rears for our cars for $1500. Minus the brakes of course which should bolt up if done by any reputable place. I would agree with just adding good headers, or even nitrous if you are going to run it at drag strips. I would rather spend the money on a supercharger though. You can find used set ups on here from $500 all the way up to $2200 that one member is currently selling in the classifides area. Or just skip the engine and just do suspension stuff. You can have a ton of fun at an autocross without a really powerful motor.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Agreed. I have a friend that built a twin turbo engine for his Cobra. He has had the engine in for over a year and its never seen the dragstrip, autocross or track/road event. Only time he has floored it was on the dyno.

Ron U.S.M.C.

If you’re planning to drive a 5.0 for any length of time like me then finding a way to make it fun to drive while still not putting anything into the engine other than regular maintenance is the name of the game. I just did some of the basics and installed a nice Eaton with 3.42s and a Corvette servo.

The little 5.0 can get it pretty good. I know because I have the ticket "exhibition of speed" is what they call it around here.

Anyway an upgrade of a 350 at around 300hp is really the only thing I can replace my 5.0 with and smog here makes it so I have to sneak it in.

Sad I know but that does explain my 10 Bolt build. Auto with street tires and max 300hp or so should be no problem.

DeltaElite121

An LS1 build wouldn't be a problem?

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

You just have to retain all of the emissions equipment from the ls vehicle and then wire the obd2 port to work correctly. Its more work than it sounds.

DeltaElite121

Obviously not plug and play (unless you spend big $), but it can be accomplished in the right hands with a little time and effort.

Reid Fleming

iTrader: (2)

Hotchkis SFC's|TDS Wonderbar|BFGoodrich G-Force Tires|17" wheels|LCA relocation brackets........Monroe Sensatrac shocks/struts

There is 1 item from the above that I would change. That being shocks/struts.

If you're not planning on going T56, I'd highly recommend a Pro Built Automatic shift kit.

Ron U.S.M.C.

The guy I take my car to for smog is a nice guy and I'm going to have alittle chat with him about what I can get away with. They are real particular about the visual inspection. I figured a stock looking 350 would be hard to tell. He may over look something like that as long as it passed the rest. Don't forget that I'm in CA. There are a few counties here without smog but mine is not one of them. Besides this 5.0 just had the odometer turn over for the first time and runs like a champ. It will be awhile before I replace it. I still have suspension work to do and need to find a set of high back 4th gen bucket seats and have them recovered.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

If I ever moved to an emissions enforced area I would sell the Camaro for an old Corvette or Camaro before emissions started. Or even a kit car from Factory Five.

Ron U.S.M.C.

When I bought the car I did not even know a 5.0 existed. The guy that I bought it from said it was a V-8. I counted the plug wires and paid him $500.00for it then drug it out of his back yard.
I was not a member here until a short time later.
As far as the car goes it is my first attempt at working on one.

Here’s part of what needed to be done/fixed. Also two photos of some completed end results.It had a Sport Coup bumper cover and mismatched dented fender panels and a gutted steering column, no door skins or head panel .Dead fuel pump .Cracked windshield, break booster, front lights, etc. and many spiders with allot of webs. We could not even get it to crank over without spraying fuel into the TBI and jumping the starter .It has turned into one of the best most reliable running cars I have ever owned and I have formed a "strong" bond with it as so many do.So what if its a 5.0 for now.

Side note = A lot of the guys here have crap gears, and no posi. . No wonder there’s allot of complaining. I have left the engine alone and made some changes to the car and I can honestly say that my car is quick off the line and has plenty of power where I want it. Down low. You can get in trouble real fast if you don't respect what it does have..

luvofjah

iTrader: (2)

Some basic suspension mods (which don't care if you have a 4, 6 or 8 cyl) make a difference in the car... Aftermarket lower control arms, panhard bar, SFC's, etc....
Any thing you do power wise down the road will reap the benefits... I have a 91 TPI 5.0 with 5 speed and it's amazing how all the upgraded suspension made the car better...

khulsebus

iTrader: (2)

Good point. I kinda forgot about the suspension since he mentioned the 305. I would also add a good poly torque arm bushing in there if a quality aftermarket piece isn't in his budget. On the emissions note, I will never again recommend removing smog equipment unless you are building a dedicated race car.

paulo57509

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

If you are in an emissions enforced area of course you should leave it on. If you are not in an enforcement area, why wouldn't you remove it/them?

khulsebus

iTrader: (2)

So here is my logic, I'm stationed in Italy at a Joint Forces Command and we don't have an army base to run around. Instead we run around through town, and I'm in fairly decent shape. While deployed to Iraq, your sinuses would get full of sand while running. When in Afghanistan, you'd just be out of breath from the elevation. I say that to say this, the cars here I believe were worked on by some shade tree type of guys. The cars stink, and after running my lungs feel like they are burning. It didn't take too long to realize that it was worse on days where there was more traffic than others. My point is that we live here, and we should try to take care of where we live. I'm not talking about trading in my Camaro for a Prius, just what is it going to hurt to leave a cat in place? A good high flow cat and I lose what 1 hp? Leave the emissions equipment in place, and ensure that everything is working properly and as efficiently as possible. I've built several of these cars over the years, and most of them had the smog stuff removed, but my thought process has changed over the years. Plus, you might live in an emissions exempt area (or know tricks to get around the checks), but do you know for fact that you will be living there forever? Would you turn down a lucrative high paying job in the future because you would have to move to an emissions enforced area? If you are any decent type of mechanic, it's not that hard to build a fairly quick car and leave most if not all of the emissions equipment in place. I do realize that I might get some hate for saying all of that, but that's fine.

ImBrandon

Put a higher stall torque converter on your trans. Also use 92 octane gas for the most powa.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I don't want to clutter or hijack this thread with a debate that has nothing to do with the original posting so I will just put fourth my opinion that stands in opposition and stop.
--Emissions from our cars, or classic or muscle or just plain "old" cars is not an issue. Do they pollute? Sure, you betcha. But is it a large concern or even worth legislating/enforcing? Nope. This is the conclusion that the Chicago land came to years ago. There are too few of these cars on the road and they are driven too infrequently to be a real pollution issue. As I understand Indiana and dozens of other states have been trending this way. For instance, my Camaro has a built, cammed 383 with no emissions at all and without a doubt, over the course of a summer it pollutes less than my 2010 Mazda 3 with a 2.0 liter. Why? Because I drive the Mazda much more often. Next week when I take the Camaro off insurance I will have put less than 700 miles on it this season.
--Your quote about removing emissions equipment and decent mechanics should be rephrased or removed. It's so off it's humerous. Next time I go walking through the pits at a road course or drag strip I will tell all those guys that they aren't good mechanics or they don't know enough of what they are doing because if they did they would have been able to leave the emissions stuff on.
--Many people remove the emissions equipment because after 21+ years minimum it tends to seize or break and they can be very expensive to replace. So they remove it/them.
--Trying to make up scenarios that paint me or anyone else as some fool who wouldn't take a wonderful job because of their car is likewise laughable. I would sell, part out or simply title the vehicle as off road only.
--You can't claim to be doing your part to preserve the environment and drive a 21+ year old Camaro. It doesn't work that way.

paulo57509

Bottom line, removing or tampering with emission controls or equipment on a car operated on the road is against the law. Regardless of whether or not the vehicle is subject to inspection or not. Just saying.....

Ron U.S.M.C.

Off topic for a second.
I thought the higher the octane the slower its burn rate or something like that and the lower octane gas is the more volatile, burning faster. Given that both cars are set at stock base timing would not the lower octane be the choice for performance?

Dakota W.

Depends on where you are. The only thing my car has is a cat, I removed the egr and air pump. It still passes the sniffer. Guess I'm still illegal though because it's not all there. Global Warming is a myth, and I can drive my car cat-less for 1 million miles before I pollute enough to pollute as much as the production of a prius, or any other NEW hybrid. If you own a car that was designed to be fun, have fun with it. These aren't lincoln towncars, as some of you guys who are deathly afraid of the law seem to think they are. If you have to deal with emissions where you live, either have a legal car or find a way around it, it's everyone's own choice. Now then,

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

Wanna beef up a 305 tbi? Read my cardomain. I need to update it but it still has good newbie Info.

Cale Sahl

iTrader: (2)

How easy/difficult is it for doing the suspension upgrades yourself?

white1991rs

Yeah my emissions are long gone, since I did the headers and exhaust. How did that 3.42 effect mpg? and I've been told the Sensatrac's aren't the best but I dont think koni's are in the budget right now haha

NowhereFast

You can do almost all of it yourself, even with little mechanical aptitude. Even SFCs are easy if you know how to weld.

I'd wait until they are then. No point in spending $300+ on shocks struts and then buying the good ones later, wishing you had done it earlier. I have to imagine your current shocks/struts aren't completely shot, because if they were, you'd know it; so it's not like it's on a must-do basis.

white1991rs

Yeah my shocks/struts are brand new, people have just told me I didn't choose the best brand

Homer23

You sound like the republican legislators, denying global warming when it has been proven plenty of years ago.

Anyway, other non-engine performance parts that haven't been mentioned are a torque arm and rear lower control arms. They will make the rear end of your car feel much better. If your seats are torn up like mine, getting some aftermarket sport seats should hold you in place better and feel more sporty.

I also would say to go with a T-56 six speed if you like to drive manual transmission cars.

a62belair

I just changed my whole rear (87 Formula) (10bolt 2:73 open, drums) to a 9bolt 3:45 posi disc brakes and I feel a world of difference! Gas mileage around town is about the same- but highway suffers some... next SFCs, sway bar bushings and endlinks, and poly trans, motor and TQ arm bushings. I have GR2s all the way around, good for now.

zenish

i put larger swaybars from an iroc on mine. a formula may already have the big ones.

a62belair

Yes, it is a WS7- all the goodies, but with a drum brake rear...

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

You might read the following so that if you experience severe vibration issues, you'll know where they're coming from:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...ison-pics.html

JamesC

hillntx

Outside of a cam swap, I'd leave the engine alone. I'd recommend a rear axle swap for one with 3.42 posi gears. If it has the same brakes (drum-drum, disc-disc) it is a fairly straight forward bolt in job. It's cheaper to swap in a junk yard axle than purchasing parts and upgrading your current axle. Since you're not ready for an engine swap and you've already upgraded your brakes, consider replacing and upgrading your suspension components: bushings, end links, sway bars, springs, rear control arms, torque arm and panhard rod. With the upgraded suspension you'll be able to actually put your available power to the ground.

Harvey Mushman

Dude, it's not real.

a62belair

I see where you are coming from on the poly trans mount... do you have poly engine mounts?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Yes.

JamesC