I have a 1989 305 TBI Camaro. I would like to swap the engine to a 350. I do not know what all I will need, and money definitely comes into play. Please, if anyone can help me, explain everything I will need for the swap. I want to put a 373 rear end in, as well as convert it from automatic to manual. Even for those, I do not know what I will need. I also need to know what 350 will be compatible (where to get it or what specific one I need), what compatible transmission will I need to make it manual and everything that goes with that etc. Additionally, what wiring harness do I get and what things do I need to get along with that. Please, any knowledgeable F body enthusiast, help me get everything I need to do this swap. Thank you.

 

I’m really not being rude when I say this but all you have to do is search. The info is out there, very simple swap. I’m pretty sure there’s even a sticky in the engine swap section.

I’ve done the swap before I’ll give you this much info. You don’t need a new harness, and if you’re staying tbi don’t just try to swap a chip from a 350 car into your 305 ecu, you need to swap the entire computer.

ill also say this. The only way I’d do it again is if I basically had all the parts for free. Sure it’s an improvement over the factory tbi 305 but that’s not saying much.

 

Like Bill, not to be mean, but...

This isn't really even a "swap". The only difference between the 305 and the 350, within the same year range they were produced, is the bore of the block. It has been done SO MANY TIMES, to SO MANY CARS, and written about in SO MUCH DETAIL, that no one here is going to be interested in spoon-feeding you.

READ before posting. Kind of like, when in a group of physical people in a room or something talking about something you know nothing about but you want to learn, keep your MOUTH SHUT and your EARS OPEN.

 

Read more. Post less. When you have a direct question, ask. I can tell you how to get to the grocery store, I can't give you a shopping list. See.

 

Hey guys, I was more-so asking to be pointed in the right direction. I have been doing research online over the last year. I am new to assembling engines (building them from just a block). I don’t have relatives, buddies, or even acquaintances who know any of this, therefore the information is hard for me to grasp without it practically being spoon fed to me. I am young, and have a lot to learn but am willing to do the digging and learn it for best outcomes. I understand I will not have a HUGE increase in HP, performance, etc. but from what I have gathered, swapping to a Chevy 350 SB will give me my best bang my 18 year old body shop pocket has to offer. I can’t just go buy a new Ls engine and slap her in. There is a lot of underlying costs and additional requirements I will have to do rather than to for now just do a 350 swap. Thanks.

 

Read this forum.

READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ. Not sure how many more times we have to tell you. It's ALL here, ALREADY.

Quit posting until you have READ extensively. No excuses.

Yes I have adult children.

 

Well unlike you man, I don’t have that group of people who know what they are talking about. I work with body men. That’s it. I do body work. So I will keep my MIND OPEN and my MOUTH OPEN and ask to those who are WILLING to give me KNOWLEDGE thank you very much. I am not asking for a spoon to airplane into my mouth with everything I need, specifically the basics of the process I will to through, and the parts I will need. THANKS.

 

You think I haven’t? This information about engines is completely new to me and I am walking into a blank door. The only recourses I have are the internet and the various auto parts stores I frequently occupy. Jeesh people all I’m asking for is a step in the right direction.

 

Sell and buy a car that's already what you want.

If you know nothing, and you cant find the answer on a forum with 20 years of archives, and you're just looking into gen-1 smallblock chevys in 2020, you're better off to just forget about it.

 

How many of the posts ON THIS PAGE with 350 IN THE TITLE have you read so far? Read the "stickies" yet? Did you look down at the bottom of YOUR VERY OWN POST, after posting, and READ all of the "related topics"?

READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ. That's how you learn. It's ALL HERE ALREADY.

No excuses.

 

How many times to you have to post on a forum in witch you are willing to give absolutely no furthering knowledge to? I understand there are other posts very similar to mine, I have “READ READ READ READ READ READ READ” many of them.

 

Wow, some of you guys are real D.B’s

 

I should also add, when you clicked on one of the "related topics" with particularly understandable and useful information TO YOU, did you continue clicking on the "related topics" that appeared under THAT one? and so forth?

READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ.

Believe us when we tell you, if you have a question about doing what you're asking, and the answer isn't already posted on here, then either your knowledge is SO LIMITED (like, you've never even seen one of either motor) or SO ADVANCED (like, you were building motors for Childress before the SB2 came out) that we can't help you.

 

Hey man, appreciate it if you would stop posting here. If your so unwilling to help at all please just stop. Thanks.

 

Again, not being rude, I hope you figure it out, the info is out there.

Not having relatives or friends in the know doesn’t matter. I don’t have any relatives I talk to at all and moved away from my home town years ago. I figure all my stuff out through YouTube, google, and trial and error. Through that process I’ve learned a lot.

 

Looks as if I won’t get my answers easily. Thank you for not being rude like the others in saying the same message. Got it guys, I’ll stop bothering you with my horrible horrible questions.

 

I can tell you dont bother with an earlier block. Pre 87 i believe. Get a 350 with 1 piece rear main seal and with a factory roller cam or provisions for one. You want a roller cam flat tappets are nothing but problems imo. Also best to get one that you have actually seen in good running condition. Never take someones word that it ran great, never. Because if you have to rebuild one its not worth it anymore costs add up to quick and then you're better off with a used LS swap but that is above and beyond your capabilities at this point.

 

I can get that exact 350 with 1 piece rear main seal and roller cams. It has 70k on it, but I know it ran smoothly before its removal. I have one question, will I need to swap the transmission or acquire a new harness with that specific engine? Thank you.

 

No. No.

 

I wonder how many times I have to spoon feed a newb that rarely ever says thank you, that doesn't put a penny in my pocket, before I'm no longer "a real D.B.". Because I've got a hunch I've shared my experiences doing the 305 to 350 swap at least a few times over the years. Pretty sure I've detailed mistakes I made and what I'd do differently if I were doing it again. And I know I've read countless posts from other people covering the same things. I know that when I did my first 350 swap, I didn't know much, didn't have a bit of help, and I was able to find answers between the search feature here and Google. I'm just curious at what point I'm not judged as a "D.B." when I tell a lazy snowflake newb to do the same search I've done, instead of posting the same things I've posted dozens of times before. Because really it's kind of annoying when a newb "D.B." makes his first post ever on the forum, demanding someone spoon feed him info, when there are sticky threads, archives, related threads, etc.

Welcome to the community. Just keep in mind, the forum isn't a search engine. It's not Ask Jeeves. We don't work for you. The community doesn't owe you anything. You haven't paid your dues, or earned our respect. You're asking for help, and people are generously taking time out of their day to provide you help free of charge. When those people tell you that you're asking an extremely vague question, that's been answered hundreds, if not thousands of times, and to do a search... Maybe you should take their advice and do a search.





62,300 results in less than half a second of searching.

 

I'd love to swap the 305 in my 1989 IROC Z to a 350, but it's tough w/ cali SMOG inspections.

Below is one of the best tutorials, i have read. Because one would need to fabricate the EGR tubing, it might not pass if the tech knows old Gm's.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...31-r-swap.html




https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Chevrolet-350-5-7-Long-Block-1988-1989-1990-1991-1992-1993-1994-Roller-4-Bolt/253708804971?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908131621%26meid%3D3427c40bc4944054b27257968a54d13a%26pid%3D100678%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D7%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D293528673049%26itm%3D253708804971%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=pageci%3A45796daf-7894-11ea-8555-74dbd18060b8%7Cparentrq%3A53347a6e1710ad4ea1b00ca5fff684a2%7Ciid%3A1


Above is an option if you need to pass visual and sniffer SMOG. However all remains are of questionable quality.

WHY is this suddenly typing in blue, like a "Link"?

 

I you want to change to stick and change engine, IMO, buy a more suitable vehicle.

 

How much money are you willing to spend to achieve your goal ? What kind of power do you expect the 350 to make ?

These are the questions that need to be answered first because those answers directly affect the cost and complexity of what you are asking about.