unfortunatly i cannot afford to put a 350 in my 85 firebird. i have a 2.8 as of now that is knocking so much that the motor wont even stay running. i want to put a 305 in instead of the 2.8. what all will i need to do to make this happen? will i need to replace any parts or is this a straight swap? also if anyone could point me in the right direction as far as how to install drum breaks, i would appreciate it. thanks

 

Not straightforward.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...swap-read.html

 

no, not a v8 swap, a 305. this is a v6, what will i need to go from 2.8 to 305.

 

Ummm.... I don't think so.... unless this is a V6 out of about a 63 GMC pickup. Yes, they actually had a V6 305 back then. But not anything anywhere near recent.

If the motor in question is a 35, it's a V8. If it's a 6-cyl, it's not a 305.

What have you REALLY got?

 

yea, my bad. i was confused. so the 305 will still bolt up the the 700r tranny right?

 

A 305 will bolt to a V8 700R4. It will not bolt to your V6 700R4.

 

How much can you afford? Throw out a figure....

 

It will cost EXACTLY THE SAME to swap in either a 305 or a 350. To the penny. Every detail, however minute, is identical in every way, starting with the transmission you'll also have to swap.

Which one seems like a better idea now?

 

Wouldnt wast my time with a 305 because it will cost the same either way because you will need to replace your trans either way and also have to either get a new PCM to control the new fuel injection or get rid of the existing PCM to put a carb ontop of the new engine

 

i could probably at most put out $500 towards the swap, but i doubt that will be enough. i dont want to buy something with just as many problems as i have now. If anyone knows anywhere cheap that i could buy everything i would need for around that figure please let me know. i live in st louis, mo, so if anyone is familiar with the area let me know what you have in mind.


also, if i do swap the 350, i have never done this before and quite frankly have no clue what i am getting my self into. this is a project to get me ready for school, aka take time off of my hands

 

My suggestion is for you to find a used 3.1l or 3.4l V6 and use your time to put one of those in. They are better engines than the 2.8's, will pretty much bolt in (see the V6 forum for more details about what's involved), and is about the only option that will fit your budget.

If you can find a wrecked V8 car for around $500 with good engine/transmission/radiator/etc., then you might be able to get it done just by swapping parts from one car to the other. Outside of that, don't consider it. You'll get nickel & dimed to death trying to put all the pieces together for a V8 swap.

 

ok, i dont know if this is a good idea or not. it just seems weird, but there is an 85 conversion van that i have found for sale for $500 it says it runs well. has a 350 allready in it, obviously tranny included. could i take all of the motor, and everyting mounted on it, with tranny, and run it in my firebird? Would this work even if the engine came from a van? Then i guess i would just have the van towed away to the local junk yard or something. let me know if this sounds like a good idea. there isnt too much i can mess up because the motor is alreally running, i could just about all of the accessories attached and just drop it straight in.

OH and motor mounts, do i have to get a specific mount for my car or will any 350 motor mount work? are the mounts bolted on or welded to body frame?

 

If the transmission isn't a 700R4, you'd need to figure out some way to mount it and the torque arm. The van's exhaust won't work, so you'd need to spend some money there. The motor mounts are bolted to the K member, any V8 ones would work there, but the clamshells that bolt to the block itself are thirdgen specific.

 

can you direct me to the v6 forum

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/

 

So if the van has a turbo 350 tranny, it wont bolt up the the car?


Completly different topic. is there a V6 and a V8 tranny 700R4?

 

If the van has a TH350, then it's not a bolt-in. Additional parts and work will be required.

700R4s come with either a 60 degree V6 or a 90 degree V8 bellhousing bolt pattern. There isn't one that will fit both.

 

you can find f-body junkers with 305's and 350's that run for 500.00 if you can sit on this for some time. look for crashed ones, ones with bad body rot. like the front struts comming through but like they said you would need the f-body eng. mounts, a f-body v8 trans with the torque arm mount and trans mount. the whole fuel system (for the most part depending on which one you went with) rad. so on. you could check a junk yard but most thirdgens there have been sitting with 1XX,XXX miles or more for who knows how long and arn't going to be much better than what you have. not to mention the bolts clamps belts wires plugs so on that need to be replaced add up real quick

 

here is a great example of what I was talking about. has a reserve for some reason but... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-ne...QQcmdZViewItem

if there is any good parts left over you can sell them and help fund your swap or if you found a better car fund the whole swap

 

i stay in st. louis and i have a good v6 to give away for free i am swapping my 305 to a 350 this week

 

where at in st louis? i would like to have it if you dont mind. how did it run? thanks alot for the offer!