I am picking up a 84 l83 350 on Friday for 150 bucks. My 305 is on its last leg, and this is the cheapest upgrade i can find quick. The new motor was a crossfire engine, but has been converted to a carb set-up with the original heads, and nothing done to the 70,000 mile block. Everything looks nice and clean, no buildup, cracks, or other nasty things seem to be going on. My question is... Is this just a plain ol 350 like all the others? Can i just get a nice valve job, redo the block, slap the intake and carb on, bolt it all in, and crank it up? I know i have to get rid of some of the computer stuff that is in the car now, and I really want the carb set-up so putting the efi on is not going to be an option. Besides I am having issues with it anyway.

Do I pull the in tank fuel pump off, and just run a mechanical off the block? How do I deal with the distributor since I believe it to be tied into the ecu. Can I just swap it out for a gool old hei type? If I do that will I have issues with the vats?

I hate to ramble on, but I really dont know much about the swaps with efi cars. I can do all of the work with no problem, I just want to know what I will have to do other than pulling the old and slapping in the new.

Any help is appreciated.

 

You're on the right track.

 

The right track is a good place to be. So far I think i have most of it pegged from the sticky posts I just found. What I didnt find was anything on the potental vats issue. I am not too worried about the gauges, I can always install an aftermarket gauge pod, but the vats worries me. As far as the fuel pick up tube, im thinking i just pull the pump, and run a strainer welded to the pick up tube, and leave everything else in place. I think the sending unit would still tell me fuel level unless it is tied into the ecu. But even if it is, wouldnt it still function normally since im not pulling all that stuff out?

 

if it's an original L83,that engine will have TRW 9.0:1
forged pistons and a windage tray.Stock 'vette oil pan
and pickup will not fit f-bod-just use the pan and pickup
from the 305 if it is '85-earlier.
if the fuel pump in the tank is a TBI/CFI pump,that is a
turbine type and fuel can be pulled through it when it is
not running with no problems-no need to remove.A
TPI pump is roller 2nd stage and does not flow well
inactive.
BTW i have L83 in my car with modified CFI ,has been
in since '94-modified for big power increase in'95

 

The pump is a tbi pump, so its good to know that i dont have to mess with anything there. My 305 is a 91. I can get a new pan, and dip tube, and make it work if i have to. Back to vats issue..................

 

I am still hoping to get any info on a possible vats problem when doing my swap. Anyone know if changing the distributor will have any effect on the vats? I am not going to gut the ecu, I would like to keep as much in place as possible.

 

If you reuse your control system on the 350, you won't have any VATS issue (assuming your car has VAT).

If you remove your ECM, you'll have to by-pass VATS (there are a couple of tech articles linked from the thirdgen.org homepage).