Ok, I have a few questions for you guys. Here's the story. Right now I have a 1978 K5 Blazer sitting in my backyard doing nothing but rust away. It has a 305 in it that ran pretty strong before my dad parked it. I have been wanting to do an engine rebuild and throw it in my TA. (don't flame me for the 305 idea, cause its a free engine)
My questions are.
1. I have a TBI right now and would like to keep it, Is it possible to put the computer controled TBI unit and comp. on a carb. engine from the 70's.
2. Can I still use the serpentine setup from my engine and put it on the '78 block?
3. Will it bolt up to my T5 tranny?
4. What about the motor mounts? same place or need to be relocated?

I think thats all the questions I have for now. If I think of anymore I'll post em up

 

If you already have a V8 in your car, then it will all work.

 

yes it will all work, I'm doing a similar thing, a very mild 350ci from a '77 4WD chevy pickup in my trans am, it will all work.

 

It will all work, except for 3 things:

1. The center 2 intake bolt holes are different. You'll have to alter them on your TBI intake.

2. The oil dipstick on that motor, if it comes out of the driver's side of the block right next to the head, is totally incompatible with your exhaust manifolds. If the 78 has one of the transition-year oil pans where the dipstick plugs into the pan, then it will work.

3. Your TBI motor's flywheel will be the one for a 86-up crank, with the one-piece rear main seal. It will not fit on the 78 motor's crank. You'll have to get a flywheel from a 82-85 V8 Camaro or Firebird. Nothing else will work.

Don't expect it to run as strong with TBI on it as it did in its original configuration.

 

Forgot to mention this but I was planning on doing a build up on the engine too. Get one of those rebuild kits from summit or jegs w/ new pistons, rods, seals, bearings, blah blah blah. Then a new intake manifold, some decent heads, cam, and headers, maybe a new crank.

RB83L69. what if i got an aftermarket intake manifold?
The flywheel wouldn't be a problem to get.
I will have to check on the dipstick.
Why wont it run as strong as the original configuration???

 

Details...

My advice was based on the idea that you'd simply take the existing 78 motor out, and swap it as is into the TBI car. The reason it wouldn't run as strong is because the TBI exhaust is probably even worse than the already crappy setup that the 78 truck has.

Doing a bunch of work to whatever motor you use, rather than just changing it out untouched, alters the picture greatly. New heads, new cam, rebuild, etc. is a waste on that 78 305 motor. If you're going to go to all that expense, start out with a better core. The "core" - the broken thing you rebuild - is the cheapest, yet the most important part of the rebuild. Don't put thousands of dollars into some POS 305 when you can get a 350 core for $50 - $100, which just amplifies your $$$$ by that many more cubic inches. If you actually tear down a motor, bore it and rebuild it, buy new heads, a cam, an intake, and all that, plus all the stuff that doesn't come in the cheap "rebuild kit" that someone will surely come along and post about ("I can get it from Summit or whoever for $350"), fluids, your time, tools, etc. etc. etc., you'll be well over $2000 by the time you crank your car up and drive it again. It's just bone-headed stupidity to short yourself out of the best motor you can get, for $100. Hell, most people waste more money than that on a bunch of chrome and other "appearance" stuff that accomplishes exactly nothing; take that wasted moeny and instead get a roller 350 core, and upgrade your car instead of downgrading it.

 

I know what you are trying to tell me. I thought about getting a 350 but everyone is doing that. I like things that are different. I have no problem with 305's. They are good engines. We have 3 vehicles with 305's, all of which have 150k plus miles on them and one that is well over 200k.

I have ALL the time in the world, tools, fluids, extra gaskets, and found an extra set of heads in my garage. My dad also thinks this would be something fun to play with.

 

I have a 305 with 345,000 miles on it. (78 model FWIW) Big deal. It's identical to a 350 in all respects as far as wear and lasting are concerned. I'm in no hurry to put one in a car I intend to try to make fast, regardless.

Most of the time, the object of this whole exercise is to get the most power per dollar. Why handicap yourself by using the small bore? Who cares if you're "different" if the only view they get of your car is in their rearview mirror?

The 305 is a perfectly good motor on its own merits. If it existed in a vacuum, with no other options, then we would all be building 305s. But that's not the case. There is an option, that's actually cheaper to build, every bit as reliable, and very plentiful. With that option available, it is mindless stupidity to sink $$$ by the thousand into the small bore block, when disappointment is guaranteed. You will lose to a 350 that cost the same as your 305, no matter what you do to it. Build your "paid for" 305, whatever it costs, if you went out and bought a 350 core instead and put the same dollars there instead, the 350 will be far faster. It's your money to use as you choose....

 

It'd be cheaper and better to pick up a 350 from a junkyard and plop it right in, as is, than to rebuild the 305. It'll be a newer engine, to boot!

 

I challenge that.

I spent $1,000 on this motor and outrun stock L98's day in and day out.

But, there's a catch. It cost $3,500 for the total overhaul, block word & head work, I got it out of my friends wrecked 86 Iroc-z with 6,000 miles on the clock.