Im planning on swapping in a 5.7 my uncle gave me, probably sometime this winter ill do it. Just wondering if you guys have any tips. The engine isn't the ls1/lt1 based its old school out of a 76 chevy c20 truck. Its a 4 bolt main, has an erson high flow camshaft (erson is no longer made), a holley 700cfm carb, edelbrock tm1 tarantula intake manifold (no longer made, rated 3500-7000rpm i believe, not a good rpm range for the engine but who knows), other mods and stuff. I figure swapping the engine is bolt out bolt in since the only difference of the two engines is the bore size. How about the wiring harness, my carb is electric so i'd need to switch to a maunual carb i hope or do they make aftermarket electric carb for the camaros. Any tips about what to do when switching over like removing the emission controls and crap.

Car is 305 carb, auto trans,

 

The older engine will have a 2-piece rear main seal crank, which has a different flexplate bolt pattern than yours, and the older flexplates were 168 tooth instead of the 153 tooth of 3rd gens. Just get a flexplate for an '83-'85 V8 f-body.

The dipstick will be on the driver's side instead of the passenger side like your 305 ('80-later, actually - not because it's a 350 vs. 305). If you have headers, no problem. If you try to put the stock exhaust manifolds on, two objects will try to occupy the same space at the same time - since stock exhaust manifolds are horrible, now would be a good time for headers if you don't have them already.

That intake manifold is terrible. You'd be better off with a dual plane. I have no idea what a "high flow camshaft" is, but if an RV grind, it'll be fine. I'd recommend you seriously consider unbolting the intake/carb/distributor etc. from the 305 and put it on the 350 - much better street set-up, and you already have it. Put a Performer intake on if you really have to. Supports my daily driver/weekend racer set-up just fine.

 

Im not too sure what the high flow cam is but i looked online and found an article about the erson cams. Supposedly it had really good low end torque and good high end torque rated at about the same as the intake manifold. But the intake manifold is rated so high i dont know how it would run in my car, not sure how the engine revved before. Thats a good idea though using the stock carb its just i think my choke is going out since its electric it comes on and off at low rpm, maybe thats what its suppose to do i dunno. But carb needs a definate rebuild one of these days.

 

One thing that I might throw in here, due to experience, your oil pan from the 70's model engine will not allow for the y-pipe on the exhaust. The 80's style is kind of stepped down to allow for the pipe to cross over in between the pan and the K member. I had to have a y-pipe fabbed up at the local exhaust shop, and it wasn't a pretty sight when he was done...he ended up reducing the pipe so much I had alot of restricted flow afterwards. Going with full length headers would not be a problem with your planned setup.

 

hi i too just this past winter changed my 305 to a 350. it took me a lil while but here are just a few tips though its easiest to remove the engine by unbolting the manifold/headers first so that you dont have to pull and twist the engine every which way to avoid breaking things. you shouldnt have to change any of the extra components like the ac or power steering but i would make sure that the 350 has good threads in the bolt holes and just double check that it will all fit.

 

I swaped out my old 305 TPI and put in a an over bored 350 making it a 355cid. using my old TPI Intake everything turned out great, from an engine stand point!!! The only problem I'm having is with the transmition....I cant get it to shift when its supposed to at W.O.T. (a small problem considering the amount of work Iv'e had done on it)