Right now i am thinking of some options on how i can get as much power as i can with out dropping 10 grand. I have a 1986 camaro cs with a quad jet carb. What should i do.

1. buy a 350 quad jet carb and junk the 305.
2. rebuild the 305 with different heads
3. buy the 350 5.7 liter. (if i can find one.)
4. keep the 305 and buy some better heads
5. stick with the 305 and just add some bolt ons without the head job
6. keep the 305 and turn the carb. into a 305 tpi(if possible)
7. get a 350 and buy a tpi and throw it on?
8. any other advice is welcome

 

first thing you should do is only make one topic about this.
throw away your 305, keep the heads if they are 416 castings...
Get a 350 roller block, put the 305 heads on it, LT1 cam and a 750 double pumper carb and call it a day.

 

i made a mistake and clicked the triple clicked. do u have an idea of what it would cost and how much hp i would get? (estimate)

 

$550 350 roller from jy with warranty
$150 Performer RPM intake
$ 60 Used LT1 cam
$ 50 new oil pump and pick up.
$ 30 Felpro blue head gaskets
$ 10 Felpro intake gaskets
$ 35 summit SS bolt kit
$ 45 ARP head bolts
$400 Hooker 2055 headers w/ y-pipe
$ 16 8- platinum plugs
$ 25 new water pump
$ 30 new alternator
$ 20 alt bracket
$ 80 8.8 accel wires
$ 90 stock HEI carb
$ 25 cap and rotor kit
$Free 416 casting 305 heads
$ 50 comp cams valve springs
$ 25 intake valve seals
$ 8 exhaust valve seals
$ 25 timing cover w/ gasket
$ 37 oil pan steel
$ 25 oil pan gasket
$ 17 rear main seal
$ 30 chrome valve covers
$200 Edelbrock carb (you can get some for less than 100 used)
$ 25 carb spacer
$ 30 Edelbrock 3'' tall 14'' wide air cleaner
$ 40 holley afpr
$ 15 new belts
$ 55 for all fluids and sealants
$ 15 upper rad hose
$ 20 lower rad hose
$ 35 roller timing set
$ 16 new push rods
$ 99 new clutch
$ 45 new flywheel
$ 35 new starter
$ 50 new battery
$ 25 new battery cables
$ 20 pair of new motor mounts
$ 30 misc hoses

so you are looking at ~$2500 for maybe 350 hp give or take on what block you have and miles...
Keep in mind that most of this stuff you would have to buy anyways if you got a crate motor or some other motor... Whatever budget you have double it and thats how much it will cost. this is how much it cost me just for the motor. this is my set up... and I plan on using a 150 shot of nitrous which works out well with a LT1 cam.
P.s. it may be a good idea to change out some bearings, all mine checked out okay but thats a risk I took. My advice... do everything right, you skimp on a small $2.00 part and you will spend a thousand easy.

 

He is looking horsepower, not a 12 to 1 compression ratio. the 416 heads suck on a 305! Let alone a 350! C mon now...

 

350 HO Deluxe. So much fun you'll soil yourself.

JamesC

 

Understand that there is no need to go and get another carb. The 305 and 350 (which wasn't available on f-bodies) are basically the same thing, just tuned slightly differently.

 

No, you "C mon now". You don't know what you're talking about. Stop making false statements.

This is the last thread I'm going to let this comment of yours stay on the forum. Get your facts straight.

 

With that set up he will run 10.2:1 with decent head gaskets. They are not the best heads in the world but they are very decent for what they are and cost. So my original statement stands.... That is what i run, and you would be surprised how well that engine performs.

 

myself as well, 416 heads on a 350 are pretty common on these boards, where people know about them.
It's a hot motor alright.

1)no, same carbs, skip that.
2)nope, that's silly, those heads are fine, putting better ones on the 305 won't get you moving much faster, dollar for dollar
3)there you go
4)we already went over that in #2
5)sure, that'd work. Exhaust would be first priority IMHO
6)nah, that's too much work, and wouldn't get you much, if any, gain
7)nah, TPI is too much work to add onto a non-tpi car. They're find in the car they were in, but not worth putting on something else.

Yea, like nelapse mentioned, build a cheap 350 and slap on 416s. That's what I got, I just got carried away with "well i'm here, so I might as well replace the _____, and, wow *this* would look nice in chrome, so i'll get one of those, and...."
So $3000 CDN later.... But yea, can be done much cheaper. Nelapse mentioned $$$ on if you bought everything new, a lot of that you can re-use from your current motor.

 

Well, I have a couple more questions to ask. I have a 305TBI in a 91 Caprice right now and am looking to get a 350. Will those 416 heads you are talking about work with the intake manifold that is on the Caprice's? I don't know a whole lot about what is so different about them, just something about the distributor being bigger and the intake is set-up a little different for clearance issues with the firewall. I was told to get a 350, use my TBI with the 350 Cop Car Injectors or truck injectors, LT1 cam, headers, cold air, and a chip burnt. Does this sound right? I realize this isn't a Caprice forum, but lots of info in here about motor swaps. Also, what makes up a 383? A 400 crank, in a 350 motor? Or is it more than that? I want to buy a 350, put it on a stand and build it right. Just want to make sure I use the right combination of parts.
Thanks

 

welcome to the boards,
Yes you can "make" the intake work, you will have to modify the bolt holes a little... The TBI on the caprice is the same as camaros and etc. If you indeed have a roller block then the LT1 cam is a decent choice.
A 383 is a 350 block bored 30 over, with a 400 crank. You will also need to clearance the block for the rods in certain areas and die grind the bolt shoulders and rod bolt ends a little. You will need 383 pistons because the 350 ones come out of the block a few thousandths of an inch.
No offense, It doesnt seem like you are ready to tackle a stroker motor by yourself... I would get some help to walk you through... if you screw up a $2 part it could cost you hundreds almost near a thousand.
if you plan on pulling out a 305 for whatever reason you might as well get a 350 since they cost the same to rebuild if not cheaper. good luck

 

you can't use a 400 crank as is, the main bearing surfaces are too big, you need your machine shop to turn them down to 350 size. For the cost of that, a "new", 383 crank (which is a 400 crank with the mains already the right size), isn't much more $, plus then you know it's a good new casting and whatnot.

caprice, can't go fast in that put that motor in a 3rd gen and rock and roll!

 

nelapse,
I don't know much about it, you are right. My brother in law is a mechanic, and also dragcar freak!!! He has offer to get me a 350 and build it, and thats great. I was just curious about some of the other stuff, like stroker kits. I was just going to get the 350 put the 305 heads, intake, TBI (with bigger injectors), anything else I could use off of the 305, clear image budget headers, and get a chip burnt. But everyone I email and talk to is telling me all different stuff. I'd like to do a simple 305 to 350 swap, but don't want to have to get different chips burnt several times to get the tuning right. Any advice would be great!

Sonix,
I know, I get that a lot about the Caprice WHY? I don't know why. I just like the skirted 91-92 Caprice. No reason other than liking it since my high school days. Makes no sense to me either. I've actually bought two of them. One a running car the other a parts car complete (mostly for the grey interior) Yes it's a lead sled, but if you wanted something for the last 10 years and find one, you get it.

 

oh I agree, sweet car, but not many on this forum will agree with you.

Wait, the 305 TBI heads will be used? (casting 187?) ok, rethink that one.

 

I know. I wasn't expecting to much respect for the car on a Camaro-Firebird site. Like I say there is a lot of info on here. I have a neighbor that has a Camaro sitting next door rotting away. I think they had to get out quickly, if you know what I mean. I've been trying to to catch them, when they come by to check their mail, to see if they will sell it. But I haven't caught up with them yet. Maybe I could get it and turn it into my hotrod and my Caprice into my Grocery getter!! HAHA

 

there is nothing wrong with a caprice...
anyways touching back on the 400 crank subject, sonix is right but another reason you do not want a "real'' 400 crank is because it is externally balanced... which means you will need a special harmonic balancer and flexplate... you can technically use a real 400 crank... but it isnt worth it in the slightest. You can get a 383 version crank made by eagle for $189 via summit.
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If those are the heads you have junk them for some 416's you can get them dirt cheap on the boards, lemme check if i have some

 

"If those are the heads you have junk them for some 416's you can get them dirt cheap on the boards, lemme check if i have some" Sorry, couldn't figure out how to do the Quote thing! So what you are saying is get the 350 and use these 416 heads, and my manifold?

 

would 081's be better than the 416's?

 

 

no

 

huh so port and polishing 416's would be better then the 081's on a 305 tbi? sorry im not trying to highjack, i just was told differently by some other ppl

 

I will let sonix chime in on that one

 

the what now?

d'argh, lazy nelapse...

Casting # refers to the last 3 digits of the casting #. So 416's are actualy, xxxxxx416. I forget offhand what the beginning is.

305 TBI's came stock with 187 casting heads. 58cc. 350 TBI's (trucks, perhaps caprice, etc), came with 193 casting heads. 64cc. Both of these are swirl port style heads. They go hand in hand with TBI injection (as in, they came on TBI motor vehicles, nothing else). They are good for low end grunt, towing, truck off road use, caprice grocery getting, stump pulling, etc. Fine until you have a light hotrod and you want to spool to 6000RPM

305 TPI motors had 081 heads, 58cc chambers. 350TPI motors had 083 heads, 64cc chambers (see the trend?). These aren't really special, except they had center bolt mounting patterns, that means you need to use valve covers that have a few center bolts that hold the covers on, rather than just bolts around the perimeter (perimeter bolt valve covers.).

305 carb motors, '82-'87 or so, had 416 casting heads. Camaros, LG4, L69, monte carlos, etc. These are basically the same as 081 heads, just with perimeter bolt patterns.

305 carbed trucks, vans, etc, came with 601 casting heads. These have 52cc chambers (nominally), and were pretty much the same as 416 heads. Some say better due to a "superior chamber style, promoting faster burn". Kidney style, vortec style, whatever you want to call it. Sitting bull ported these, and Fast355 swears by them.

"All" of the aforementioned heads used 1.84/1.5" valves on the 305 varients, and 1.94/1.5" valves on the 350 varient. (I think).

Now, 416, 081, 601 heads, would all work well on a 350 build. 081 heads would need the center bolt valve covers. 601 heads you'd have to pay attention to your CR, as it might get higher then desired.
Otherwise, go to town. Like I said, I, among many others, have ported 416 heads. "why are they more popular then the others?" you ask? I mentioned they came stock on camaros right? And this forum is about....? oh right, camaros! (ok, 3rd gens in general), but that means that almost all of us have 416 heads on the motor already, why shop for heads when you've already got them? bingo.

there, i'm going to go ice my fingers now.

 

precisely why i wanted you to do the yapping
The 416s work out better too because you have alot of valve covers to choose from,(cheaper too) intakes bolt right up. I thought i had an extra set, but i dont, but I am pulling a set next week.