OK. Here's the deal... I bought my '86 Camaro Z28 about 2 months ago with 108,324 on the odometer. I really have trouble identifying the engine within my own car. I talked to a mechanic and he is 100% sure this is not the original engine my car came with. He was not able to identify it as 305 or 350 C.I. (Some mechanic huh?) anyway... I'm hoping something may trigger by the pictures I'm about to provide that can tell you guys something. Do I have a 305 or 350 C.I. engine here? A few people say it "looks like" a 350, but I'm going to ask you guys to confirm. Thanks so much...

 

No way to tell from the pic.

Must have casting numbers.

However, I see no reason why that would not be the stock motor. If it has been swapped, it looks to have been done right, as all the factory equipment seems to be intact.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll check it out. Are they located on the drivers side under the car?

 

mustangslayer86 - Mortec has detailed pics of where you should be able to find your casting numbers.

http://www.mortec.com/location.htm

 

On the side of the block it may say 5.0L or 5.7L. If not, you can try to get the casting number off the back of the engine looking down behind the driver's side head. Your third choice is to get the suffix code. It's stamped into a pad on the block behind the alternator and in front of the passenger side head.

Looking at the engine in the pictures it could be any size SBC.

 

"Yep, looks like a 305 to me."


"Yep, looks like a 350 to me."


Both statements are equally valid, because a 305 and a 350 look exactly alike.

Like said, get the casting #. Sometimes the last three digits (which are all that really matter) are cast into the side of the block as viewed from underneath. Otherwise, you're going to have to get behind the driver's side head to see the full casting #, and possibly "5.0l" or "5.7l" cast into the top of the bell housing mount of the block.

Two things you can say:
1) A 350 wasn't available in 1986; and
2) In 1987, when a 350 became available, they used center-bolt valve covers, and those aren't center-bolt valve covers.

The 8th character of the VIN will tell you what engine came in the car from the factory. 10:1 it's "F".

 

the crank pulley i believe is a different size from 350 to a 305 but im not positive. ( i was told by an old black guy at the junkyard that seemed to know what he was doing.) the best way is take a flashlight and climb in the engine bay and look at the back of the block where the tranny bolts to the motor u should see some casting numbers. get those and search for those numbers.
just my 2 cents

 

Nope, not true.