Carburetors Carb discussion and questions. Upgrading your Third Gen's carburetor, swapping TBI to carburetor, or TPI to carburetor? Need LG4 or H.O. info? Post it here.

determine 305 or 350 quick question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 07:49 PM
  #1  
SpyderTA's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
determine 305 or 350 quick question

i was wandering if you could tell the difference between a 305 and 350 by the location of the dipstick. i bought another 85 ta a couple of months ago to try and restore. i believe i have a 350, but a guy told me today that a 305 has the dipstick on the left of the motor while the 350 has it on the right. mines on the left. lol, in my life i've never heard of that. it is a chevy motor though, came out of a mid 90's truck, so maybe he knows something i don't. i'm by far not a mechanic, but i know its hard to distinguish between a 305 and 350 without looking at the inside. truthfully, if it turns out to be a 305, i'll be pissed. its got plenty of juice, but compared to the 87 formula tpi i drove 10 years ago and wrecked, its a tad slow. whats a definate way to determine size? like i say, i can't tell the difference. but the dipstick location? that can't be right.
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 07:59 PM
  #2  
Apeiron's Avatar
Moderator
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 11
From: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
No, old blocks have it on the left, newer blocks have it on the right, regardless of displacement. If your block has it on the left, the engine has been changed at some point. Look at the casting numbers to find out what the displacement is.
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 08:06 PM
  #3  
kjvail1204's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Amherst NY
Look on the engine right were it meets the Transmission on the Drivers side Top. It'll say something like GM 5.7L or GM 5.0L 5.0 is a 305 and 5.7 350. Dip stick is on the same side for both.
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 08:11 PM
  #4  
SpyderTA's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
so if older engines have it on the left, then its possible the motor is older than mid 90's?
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 08:20 PM
  #5  
kjvail1204's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Amherst NY
Engine ID #

Look for engine ID number its either on the Passanger side right behind the Alternator or right above the Timing Chain then go to ask.com and look up Chevy Engine ID and punch it in and itll tell you all you need to know
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2006 | 08:24 PM
  #6  
Apeiron's Avatar
Moderator
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 11
From: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Originally Posted by SpyderTA
so if older engines have it on the left, then its possible the motor is older than mid 90's?
More like 70s or earlier.

Originally Posted by kjvail1204
Look for engine ID number its either on the Passanger side right behind the Alternator or right above the Timing Chain then go to ask.com and look up Chevy Engine ID and punch it in and itll tell you all you need to know
That'll only work if the deck hasn't been resurfaced during a rebuild. The casting numbers are more reliable.
Reply
Old Sep 9, 2006 | 03:25 PM
  #7  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 45
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Just to avoid confusion, we should say "driver's side" or "passenger side", rather than left or right. To me (and by convention), the left side is the driver's side, but some people picture looking at the engine so the driver's side will be on their right.

To clarify, from about '80-on the dipstick has been on the passenger side, whether 305 or 350. '79-earlier, it was on the driver's side. Big blocks have always had it on the passenger side (FWIW).
Reply
Old Sep 12, 2006 | 01:50 AM
  #8  
SpyderTA's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
well, no more confusion. the motor is a 305. anyone want to buy a trans am real cheap? lol. it has a straight body, so i got my money's worth. but dang i wanted that 350. its cool though, now i thought about taking a tpi 350 out of a seriously smashed vette i found a few days ago. i'm gonna look into it. i appreciate all the help though. thanks.
Reply
Old Sep 12, 2006 | 11:35 AM
  #9  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 45
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
305 to 350 engine swap isn't that big of a deal. I'd suggest you try to get all of the TPI equipment, though, harness, sensors, ECM, etc.

Unless, of course, you just put the 350 under the 305 carb equipment. A completely viable and rewarding approach.

Once the exhaust and air cleaner are up to snuff, of course. . .
Reply
Old Sep 13, 2006 | 09:56 AM
  #10  
Michail's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by five7kid
Just to avoid confusion, we should say "driver's side" or "passenger side", rather than left or right. To me (and by convention), the left side is the driver's side, but some people picture looking at the engine so the driver's side will be on their right.
Or better - use the thousand-year old terms of "starboard" and "port".

Quoting Merriam Websters Rosetta Edition:
Starboard is a term used on boats and ships to mean the right side of the vessel, as perceived by a person facing forward (i.e., towards the pointy end).

The origin of this term is as follows. Once upon a time, before boats had rudders on their centerline, boats were steered by use of a specialized oar. This oar was held by a sailor located towards the stern (back) of the boat. However, like most of the rest of society, there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed sailors. This meant that the right-handed sailors holding the steering oar (which had been broadened to provide better control) used to stand on the right side of the boat. Thus, starboard is a corruption of steering board.

As a side note, the reason the term port, which refers the left side of the boat, came to be called that, was because the sailors did not want to crush their steering boards between their vessel and the dock, so the left side of the boat was always set against the pier (i.e., the port).
Incidentally, "starboard" is called "styrbord" in swedish - the language that the vikings spoke when they invaded the UK islands - and "styr" means "steer" so it is rather an anglofication of a swedish word originally.

"Port" on the other hand is called "babord" in swedish. I have no idea why.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2006 | 10:49 PM
  #11  
SpyderTA's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
lol, wow michail, how does one come to aquire that kind of knowledge about the sea? also, how does one know so much about about the swedish language? lol, i'm just messing with you. well i got that tpi 350, but a few parts were missing. no prob though, the tpi parts that were left behind the seat in my ta when i bought it is just about all i need. my brother noticed them first and said, "don't let them keep those parts in the back seat." i thought, "Why? i won't need them." turns out he's smarter than i am. i saved about 300 dollars not having to buy them.
Reply
Old Sep 16, 2006 | 09:36 PM
  #12  
Kevin84Z28's Avatar
TGO Supporter
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,064
Likes: 3
From: Sonoma CO. CA.
Car: 1984 Camaro Z28
Engine: L69 305 H.O.
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Originally Posted by five7kid
Just to avoid confusion, we should say "driver's side" or "passenger side", rather than left or right. To me (and by convention), the left side is the driver's side, but some people picture looking at the engine so the driver's side will be on their right.

To clarify, from about '80-on the dipstick has been on the passenger side, whether 305 or 350. '79-earlier, it was on the driver's side. Big blocks have always had it on the passenger side (FWIW).
You're absolutely right, the direction from which a vehicle is discussed is from the driverseat looking forward. Therefore, the driverside is left, passenger side right, unless of course you flipped it and the tires are pointing up
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jake_92RS
Tech / General Engine
8
Jan 28, 2020 10:37 PM
NinjaNife
Tech / General Engine
27
Aug 23, 2015 11:49 AM
redmaroz
LTX and LSX
7
Aug 16, 2015 11:40 PM
happyhapka
TPI
3
Aug 15, 2015 04:42 PM
jahblah
Tech / General Engine
5
Aug 12, 2015 05:54 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:06 AM.