I have just recently bought a 1986 camaro that has a blown motor. The body is in great condition, and it has a lot of extra options that came w/ the car that makes it nice. It has t-tops, a very nice stereo system that was installed in the car, tilt steering, delay wipers, power windows, power locks, power hatch release. It has currently has the blown motor in it, which is a 305 TPI engine. I was wondering if we could pull the blown 305 and swap in a 350 longblock engine and just bolt the tpi back on. Now there are many questions I have about doing this.

1. Will the intake bolt on the same on the 350?
2. The blown 305 has hooker headers, will the headers bolt onto the 350 or is it different?
3. Will all the accessories, and brackets bolt right on the same way on the front of the engine, or will i need to get new brackets for the 350 block?
4. Will I need bigger injectors?
5. Will I need a different ECM?
6. Do I need a bigger radiator?
7. I have a 700R4 transmission located, are all 700R4 trannys the same?
8. Will I need a bigger fuel line, or just use the one from the 305?
Is there anything else that anyone can think of that could need to be changed before i can put a 350 long block under that TPI from the blown 305?

In your opinion, would you say that it is worth it to put in a 350, or would we be better off just putting a new 305 back under the hood?
I would still like answers on all the other questions however.

 

24 pound injectors, new knock sensor 350 status, new computer chip from ww.tpis.com, bigger throttle body, 58mm, check the diameter of the headers, (new heads, pushrods, cam, harmonic balancer,etc if not included with 350) , Im thinking you may want to upgrade the exhaust, <if i did it id pull the tranny with engine replace the tranny seals, tv cable seal, tranny dipstick seal, pan, rear seal, front seal, oil pump seal, bushing, motor mounts, torque arm bushing, torque converter, tv cable, install a shift kit, check brakes bearing, change diff oil, check suspension bushings i also recommend Castrol gtx for engine castrol for tranny.)

 

Only if the 350 heads have the '86-earlier bolt pattern.

99% chance that they will. I can't think of a factory 350 that they wouldn't.

Everything will bolt onto the 350 the same.

"Need" is the operative word here. You won't "need" bigger injectors for the car to run, but the factory used 19 lb/hr injectors in 305's, and 22 lb/hr injectors in 350's. The smaller injectors have advantages over the larger in normal driving, but you may get a little lean under full power, depending upon the 350 you're putting in.

No. The factory tuning for the 350 was slightly different than for the 305, but the 305 tune will run the 350 just fine. Of course, a custom tune (properly done) will always be better than a basic factory tune.

No.

No, they are not. There were V6 transmissions with a different bellhousing pattern and weaker internals. The 4.3l TH700's from S10 and Astro vans will bolt to the V8s, but won't have the torque arm mount (the housing can be easily swapped from you existing transmission to any TH700). The "best" TH700's were made after 1988.

No problem with the stock fuel line. It's the same as used for 350's.

As mentioned above, you should get a 350 knock sensor and module. You don't need any other "stuff", as nothing else, other than what I mentioned, was different from the factory between 305 and 350.

I would say it would be well worth it, certainly vs. getting another 305.

 

If you are going to make the switch to the 350, get yourself a set of the
22lb bosch design lll fuel injectors