I found this engine to replace my 305TPI-LB9. Whatcha think? http://www.goautocenter.com/300hp_tpi_1987-89.htm
I can't afford a ZZ4. I need the Best Bang for buck engine. My car has 151,000 miles and my Timing Chain(I think) Is making a noise. There is no since in rebuilding this piece of crap 305. I want a 350 with about 300HP. I want to keep all my TPI stuff and do just a swap over. With as little cutting and grinding as possible. What would have to be upgraded to make this engine work in my car?

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'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

[This message has been edited by jobryan26 (edited April 09, 2001).]

 

$150 dollars more you've got yourself a 4 bolt main and vortec heads. Then you just have to figure on getting a balancer and a special vortec intake. The vortec intakes aren't all that expensive with all things considering. Then you'll have a strong bottome end and good intake and more potential than the TPI engine. I think I might be biased but still, I think the vortec 350 is the best bang for buck if you have a TBI or carb engine. If you have TPI then the zz4 is best bang for buck. If super budget then I guess the TPI engine would have to due.
Another downside of the vortec 350 is the cam. It's a flat, non roller. Good part about having the flat is that a cam swap is a lot cheaper . Later on I could install a roller cam if I wanted to.

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, Jon (350 TBI! getting 23mpg highway)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)AIM: JPrevost

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?

[This message has been edited by JPrevost (edited April 10, 2001).]

 

What's the difference between 4-bolt and 2-bolt mains. Is there a vortec intake for TPI?

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'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

The much-anticipated TPI Vortec manifold still isn't available. If emissions are a concern, then carbs ain't gonna cut it. Why downgrade from TPI to TBI? Same for flat tappet cam.

2-bolt vs. 4-bolt doesn't make a lick of difference at 300 HP. It could be argued that the 2-bolt is actually stronger.

Looks like a sweet engine at a decent price. I can't imagine why you'd want to subject yourself to the headaches that a Vortec engine would surely give.

Hey, stop dissin' 305's. Go with your 350 if you like, just keep the insults out of it, thank you.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere w/open diff & slipping tranny. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

jobryan26,

That's a decent deal. You'll probably be happy with it. I woulnd't recommend a Vortec 350 or a ZZ4. The Vortec 350 would present problems during the installation that you probably don't want to deal with and the ZZ4 is beyond what you are looking for. By the way, by the time you get the Vortec 350 started up and running it's almost the same price as a ZZ4 motor up and running. The ZZ4 is a better deal. But frankly, they are both too expensive. There is no reason why you shouldn't have forged pistons for that price.