jared1264

Bought an 1989 305 convertible. Dash vin checks out with car and has the "E"

Been fighting with this car to get it running well for almost a year as a fun learning project.

Fixed a lot of things as it was neglected but then noticed the engine numbers on the front don't seem to add up.

On the front passenger side are 2 sets on the same tab.
K0927TBM
Ck7716808

Also in two spots on the block passenger side is a "350"

Seems like I might have the wrong engine in here. . .

Can someone help identify this?
Everything, part wise, has,lined up with my manual and the many parts that I have replaced so far as the 305 5.0 TBI that matched my dash vin.

But if I have a different engine in there, that would explain my never ending battle with this car to run right.

Thanks

tealman92

Only way to check the block is on the driver side back of the block. It will say 5.0 or 5.7. not 350 or 305.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

The TBM in the first number is your suffix code.

TBM 1970 307 conv., van C-10 & 1500
TBM 1979 350 conv., van C-20 to 3500/Phoenix
TBM 1982 305 conv., van C-10 to 2500

The other number should match the partial vin of the original car. The casting number by the bellhousing should help you narrow it down a bit more.

jared1264

Okay, forgot I had one of those camera scopes and spent some time this morning looking for the stamps. Back there seems to be pretty coated with oil and such but I found the image attached. Looks like 5.7L. Hard for me to tell when I had the camera back there, was this on the head or the block?

tealman92

That's the block. You have a 5.7 in your vert.

Ty92Z

iTrader: (11)

Pull a valve cover and get the head casting number. This will tell you what you have and give some direction as far as tuning.

jared1264

Thanks tealman and TY.
That answered my next question of how to figure out what head I have.
I think I read somewhere that the passenger side has the info under the valve cover. The side that is under a bunch of tubes and wiring. . .

Based on the info I got from the 305-350 swap thread, I'll need to buy 350 injectors since the two I have match the numbers for 305. A new ESC for the 350. And then the chip. My ECM is an 8746 and I read that it's compatible if I had the right chip. Seems to be the same cost to get the hardware and burn a chip compared to buying one on eBay and hoping it works.
I have zero experience with tuning and burning chips. Last year I got winaldl and hooked up the car to have visibility on the sensors.

Is there a stock Caprice file to burn that wouldn't require me to data log a bunch and try to tune it myself? Seems difficult.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I suggest you turn to the TBI forum for help in this regard. The Engine Swap forum is more toward the nuts & bolts of putting a different engine in.

Ty92Z

iTrader: (11)

Both heads will have a casting number. Contact tuned performance on here, he can help you with a chip.

Ghettobird52

Or check out Rbobs Ebl Flash if you really wanna dive deep into tbi world...

jared1264

Thanks all for your input!
I took the valve cover off after work today and found 2 sets of numbers.
14101081 which makes it look like I have a 305 head on a 350 block. I have to say that I'm discouraged after finding this.

I read some debates on whether this is okay to run or will cause issues.

Looking back, the engine sounded really good once I fixed the exhaust leaks, no knocks or pings, even when I was advancing it way off of the plate trying to get it to ping.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The 081 is a decent head. If your 350 has dished pistons (the vast majority of 350s had dished pistons from the factory), the 58cc chambers will give you a bump back up in compression.

081s did have 1.84" intake valves from the factory, but they can be cut for 1.94" by a machine shop if you like. 1.60" exhaust valves help as well. But, TBI is going to be the limiting factor, not the valve sizes.

The 081 ports are the same as the 083 350 head ports, so they flow the same.

Summary: Only differences between 081 305 heads and 083 350 heads are the chamber volume and intake valve size.