Engine Swap Everything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.

305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 12:33 AM
  #1  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

ok so i've got this 1984 chevorlet 350 motor, i was wondering if i could take the vortec heads off of my 1990 305 and put on the 350, would it work, or would i have problems with oil and water?
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 02:59 AM
  #2  
NathanLewis's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Car: 85 camaro z28
Engine: 355
Transmission: t-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Don't put 305 heads on a 350, thats just silly.

Just my 2 cents.
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 03:03 AM
  #3  
InfernalVortex's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
Liked
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 31
From: Macon, GA
Car: 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: Vortec headed 355, xe262
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt 3.70
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

What did the 350 come out? The 305 heads may work well, they may not. I dont know much about the 305 Vortecs beyond that they have nothing to little in common with the 906/062 350 Vortec heads other than the bolt/intake port pattern. They'll have smaller intake/exh valves for less flow, and a smaller chamber for higher compression. I dont know enough about their flowrates to say whether they'd be as good as some LB9 305 heads, but if they're the same it wouldnt be a bad idea to put larger valves in them if you've got dished pistons in your 350 and your stock 350 heads are smogger style junk. 1984 was around the time they were starting to get their **** together so they may not be too bad, but it just depends on a lot of things.
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 09:06 AM
  #4  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

It's just gunna be temporary,until i can get me a set of good aluminum edelbrock heads
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 10:00 AM
  #5  
BlackenedBird's Avatar
Supreme Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 4
From: Central Texas
Car: GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Aussie 9-bolt/3.27 posi
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Your 84 intake won't fit the Vortec heads. So your "temporary" solution would cost a little more coin because you'd have to buy a new intake.
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 11:00 AM
  #6  
bluers91's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 443
Likes: 2
From: Wild Blue Yonder
Car: 1991 RS Camaro
Engine: 350 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Posi
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

They didn't make vortec heads in 90. Which casting numbers you got?
Reply
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 04:33 PM
  #7  
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

The '90 305 TBI heads are swirl-port. No flow. For mild commuting, they are tolerable up to 3500-4000 rpm.
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2011 | 05:16 PM
  #8  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

idk the casting numbers... but they guy i got the car from said it was all original, his son smacked into a tree a few years back and hit it hard enough to break the distributor... so yea my temporary solution is gunna cost a little more than i expected, the heads are centerbolt heads, which i've always called vortec heads...
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2011 | 05:16 PM
  #9  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

and i have the intake from the 305... once again "temporary"
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2011 | 06:04 PM
  #10  
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Originally Posted by 1FSTBRD
centerbolt heads, which i've always called vortec heads...
This is the fault of Chevrolet's marketing people. '87 was the first year of centerbolt heads, and all '87 TBI SBCs and 4.3s had high-swirl heads. The '87 4.3 got called the Vortec.
When car people refer to Vortec, we only care about the '96-up Vortec 350, with the high-flowing heads.
No other "Vortec" stuff is useful for high performance.
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2011 | 06:45 PM
  #11  
gwarren007's Avatar
Member
10 Year Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 409
Likes: 14
From: Safford, AZ
Car: 1992 RS
Engine: 305 (LO3)
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73?
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Your 305 should be throttle body injected, no way to mount a carb.

Originally Posted by 1FSTBRD
and i have the intake from the 305... once again "temporary"
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 03:28 PM
  #12  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

ok... i'm real confused right now, so i'm gunna tell u everything that i have goin on to the 84 motor, i have the centerbolt heads, and intake from the 305 which is throttlebody... goin on to the 84 350 which is carbed... will it work
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 03:48 PM
  #13  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 46
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Yes, it will "work".

Now, "How well will it work?" is a different question. To answer that, we need more information about what this '84 350 is out of. If it was a truck, the pistons will most likely be dished, which means the smaller chambers of the 305 heads will be fine for a final compression ratio. However, if the 350 pistons are flat tops (even with the valve relief "eye brows"), the compression ratio will be too high with the small chamber 305 heads.

Taking the high-percentage guesses, here are my predictions:
- The heads will be fine because the 350 pistons are dished.
- You will need a different flexplate, because the 350 came from a truck with a 168-tooth flexplate, which won't work with your 305 starter (which would be best to use in a 3rd gen), and the 305 flexplate won't work because the '90 305 is 1-piece rear main seal, and the '84 350 is 2-piece rear main seal. Simple solution - go to your nearest chain parts store and get a flexplate for an '84 3rd gen V8 auto transmission (don't tell them it is a 350, because their computer won't show a 3rd gen f-body 350 in model year '84; and it doesn't matter, because a 305 or 350 of the same year will use the same flexplate).
- The car won't run very well with a 350 and 305 tuning, and 350 with 305 exhaust. But, it will run.
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 03:54 PM
  #14  
Orr89RocZ's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 430
From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

You can put them on, and it will run just fine...just dont expect much out of it.

Only thing you may need to watch is compression, i'm not sure what the cc chambers are on the 305 castings, but if they are 58cc then you may run into high compression on iron heads with small cam so it may not like pump gas, especially with any kind of timing advance in it. I know the later 80's 350's had 12cc dish pistons so 58 cc would put you at 10 to 1 which is high for iron heads...usually need a decent sized cam to be ok on pump gas.

What do the pistons look like in the 84?

edit; I've been tree'd see above post
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 04:20 PM
  #15  
N.J.-SLICK-1's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 94
Likes: 1
From: dirty jerzee
Car: 92 camaro R.S.
Engine: 406 Carbed
Transmission: T-400
Axle/Gears: 3.73 limited slip
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Originally Posted by bluers91
They didn't make vortec heads in 90. Which casting numbers you got?
Thank you, thats exactly what I was thinking, they came out in 1996 up to 2000 if I'm correct?

Last edited by N.J.-SLICK-1; Jun 27, 2011 at 04:23 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 04:29 PM
  #16  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 46
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
The "good" Vortec castings are 906 and 062, came on light truck 350's from '96-'99, with a few in 1 ton trucks in '00.

The only thing you "need" to know is the casting # - if it isn't 906 or 062, you don't have the "good" Vortec heads.
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 04:31 PM
  #17  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 46
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Originally Posted by Orr89RocZ
Only thing you may need to watch is compression, i'm not sure what the cc chambers are on the 305 castings, but if they are 58cc ...
All 3rd gen 305 heads had 58cc chambers (roughly - within normal factory tolerances).

Originally Posted by Orr89RocZ
edit; I've been tree'd see above post
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 07:30 PM
  #18  
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

I thought CHP or Super Chevy reported that the LO3 heads were 55 cc, stock?
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 07:51 PM
  #19  
five7kid's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 46
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
They may have. Reports here vary from 54cc to 60cc. The "target" was supposedly 58cc.

My polished chamber (no unshrouding performed) World S/R 305's cc'd at 64.
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2011 | 10:14 PM
  #20  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

i've just decided to convert it to carb for right now, seeing as the 305 heads will need to be reworked... what all will i need to convert it to carb and electronic ignition?
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2011 | 02:08 AM
  #21  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

crap 305 is out and gone, upgraded to a 4.8 ls based engine
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2011 | 03:13 AM
  #22  
DRock89RS's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Maili HI
Car: 1989 RS,1991 Z28
Engine: TargetMaster 350, L98 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt posi 2.73s, and 3.23s
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

lol well thats a ample solution. good job
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2011 | 03:27 AM
  #23  
1SICK90RS's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Andalusia, AL
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

Originally Posted by DRock89RS
lol well thats a ample solution. good job
Reply
Old Jul 25, 2012 | 12:48 AM
  #24  
TA-Rocks's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: southern Pa
Car: 87 GTA, 99 VFR800
Engine: 5.7 TPI wrong heads , 781cc
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, msg me if u hav 3.42 4 sale
Re: 305 vortec heads on 350 sbc, will it work?

I ran 14.35 with my L98 and 305 heads. I have yet to learn more about mine since I just bought it. I had some questions regarding this though.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...ml#post5335993
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Frozer!!!
Camaros for Sale
35
Jan 19, 2024 04:55 PM
MustangBeater20
TBI
11
Oct 29, 2022 09:20 PM
84z96L31vortec
Tech / General Engine
7
Aug 20, 2017 12:16 AM
L98GTA87
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Wanted
1
Aug 11, 2015 06:55 PM
84z96L31vortec
North East Region
1
Aug 10, 2015 08:27 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:50 AM.