I Have a 1986 Stock Z28, What i want to know is Carb or FI, 302 or 350? Keep the 302 and rebuild the blook? or a whole new 350? and What can i take out of my car and still smog it in cali.... What should i do to Supe up my camaro, whats carb,and other parts

Thanks for your help

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

Kalifornia, eh? Well, you've got two choices: 1) Keep everything on there you've currently got; or 2) put in an entire EFI system from an '86-later passenger car and install it in your car.

The carb you have is fine. You need to upgrade other things. Your best bet is to make it L69-like or ZZ4 conversion-kit-like. You can go about this in two different ways: 1) go through the engine change process; or 2) put in a 350 and make it look like a 305 with acceptable aftermarket upgrade components. If you choose #1, your only choice is the ZZ4 kit, because it is the only carb'd 350 system that was emissions-certified. #2 will be much easier, unless they get suspicious and check casting #'s.

I you choose Door #1, your only choice is to piece it together, because the factory is no longer offering the kit (there is a slim chance you could find one sitting in some dealer's warehouse somewhere - very slim). That means a ZZ4 engine, dual-cat exhaust, PROM, etc. Then convince the engine change inspector that you did everything that is required.

Door #2, again, is probably easier and cheaper, but perhaps riskier. Unless you just soup up your 305 (by the way, you have a 305, not a 302) with emissions-certified or replacement-acceptable parts. The only detail I'm not clear on is whether you can get by without an EFE valve, which if needed, your only choice for exhaust upgrade is Edelbrock TES headers for the L69 application (and they may squawk about using them instead of LG4 headers). If you can get by without the EFE valve (I did in Colorado, which is pretty much just as strict as CA), then use '86-'90 TPI single-cat application headers such as Hooker 2055HKR's and similar application cat & cat-back. You would also need to look for or fabricate a dual-snorkel air cleaner, as the stock factory single snorkel unit is very restrictive. Then a computer-compatible cam such as the Comp XE262, and ported heads with 1.94" intake valves installed and new valve springs and retainers.

Regardless of which of those routes you take, the only legal carb is the one currently on your car. The only alternative to that carb is an '86-later EFI system.

I'm emissions-inspection/testing exempt as of this year in Colorado since I'll be able to get collector plates (which makes the vehicle exempt from regular testing). If I needed to, I could re-install the cat and A.I.R. system and have no concerns about submitting it to inspection/testing.

 

Well, im 17, I Got Some money, and i have a lead Foot, Where could i get a 350 with Trany for a Good price that will give me more then the 190 stock HP? And How Much Would a Shop Instal it for?

 

Don't kid yourself about 190 HP stock. More like 155-160.

Where can you get a 350? From the dealer, from on-line catalog outfits, from local engine shops, from eBay - most anywhere. I'm not sure what rates are these days, but you're probably looking at at least $600 labor for a simple engine install.

Any reason why you can't learn and do this work yourself? Nothing like sweat equity to make the car more personal, especially if you've got a lead foot.

 

It isn't a 302, its a 305... two wildly different animals there!

I would suggest trying to find a healthy L98 motor from an '87-92 Camaro or Firebird, or out of a '86-91 Corvette.

The L98 was the 350ci TPI motor, rated from 220-255hp, depending on which year and which car it came out of. It would be a nice upgrade over the 305 4bbl you have, powerwise and for fuel economy. It would take some time and know-how to do a swap from a carb'd motor to a TPI motor, but its not rocket science and nothing you couldn't find plenty of willing help with here.

 

lol Need to Turn the Garage into a workspace, Atm all Boxs I Think i mite just do that and pull a Engine from pick and pull from a Corvette, All i would have to do is change the mounts right?

thanks for the help

 

The mounts would probably be one thing that wouldn't need to change, unless you're talking about a mid-90's or later LS1.

You can just about double the power of the 305 with improvement to heads, cam, exhaust and air cleaner. Been there, done that, which is what I was talking about in my original response. The 350 engine change is also do-able, but you need to be careful about what 350 you use (truck engines may not have any more power than you've got now). "Corvette" usually translates to "twice the price", often with hardly any more power.

So, be careful. It's a jungle out there.

(And, I can't imagine paying anyone to do any of this stuff, except basic machine shop work if needed.)

 

How About a 91 Caprice Engine the 350 5.7 Cop? Changalbe to Carb?

 

yes with a stock or aftermarket intake you can kepe the carb on the later stuff through 95

but the cam will need to be swapped for a carb one, characteriscs of one cam differ alot from the other,


stock carb 87-up were through 88 in the cars like these and in caprices

common stuff

-------------
302 was the camaro engine in 67-69, and in 69 the 350 and 302 shared the same block

there was also a gmc 302 v-6 in the trucks before 73, and a 351 v-6 in them also

and a 401 and a 478
all big v-6 engines

---------------------------------------------
but anyways uhhm if you can find a larger engine for cheap thats good shape then go for that and put your $ and time into that

really


not into a 305 unless you had alot of $ to burn and time to waste,


trust us


you will want the car back up and running sooner than later, if you get too carried away then youre not gonna be able to drive the car for along long time, and youre going to wish you had just left it as is

i learned the hard way when i was 16

didnt take my own advice, many many times, been here and done this way too often

dont evne start taking it apart until you have everything you need and all yours plans made from beginning to end,

for real..\




if this car was mine and i was 16 andi could do it all over again i would have went with a nice running 350 or 400 engine that you can score for dirt cheap in a running/wrecked/unwanted vehicle


and put in maybe a torque producing cam, and a dual plane intake, Z28 replacmeent springs, leave the valves as 1.94 and 1.5, polish the exhaust runners and ports real good, hogg off all the bumps and corners of the intake runners in the heads and intake, but dont polish them! just remove bumps and crap


and a good shape Q jet carb, stock HEI for a 454, maybe recurve the mechnical advance, or at leats use a 454 module in an HEi form whatever v-8 chevy engine,
and a pair of normal long tube headers and a little higher stall torque converter and made sure i had at least 3.42 axle ratio

thatll make for some good fun for a while

HP= $$$$$$$


no need ot get all carried away and spend a bunch of $ on some crazy *** racing carb and other junk,

cuz you dont need to

all you need is a good axle ratio and a good shape strong running mostly stock v-8 other than a 267 or 305 or any of those lil things(in stock form)

although if you want some more fun with the 305 you hvae now and real quick then go ahead andput in a corvette replacment 350 camshaft and z28 springs and the headers and 454 module/HEI for non ECM, and polish the exhaust ports/runners and blend out the intakes(rmeove bumps)


thatll make it alot better right off the bat

this just all is my $.02 trying to help ya out to avoid some trouble and everything

if you yank the 305 then save the original 4416 casting heads, dont easte them, they have real potential with some easy work performed on them


being that i guess you are in cali fornia then hmmm youre going to be pretyt limited ot what you can get away with

i would probably move out of state first lol


good luck

 

You seem to be forgetting that he's in Kalifornia. None of that would get past the emissions inspection.

 

i know that

why do you assume everything in life

is one of a million faults with mankind

hum



thanks

 

He stated in the beginning that he needs to pass smog. Those things won't, so why even mention them?

 

Here one Last Question, I Have a Nice stock 86 k? looks almost new.... Cant Supe it Up becuase of smog, So Should I Go Older? 72- so i can put a 350 with all that??

 

You can keep an '86 stock looking and give it a lot more power. That's what I've been saying from my first response.